Internal Medicine Coding Alert
Could a New Problem Be a Consult Opportunity?
PDF
Question: A patient originally came to our office based on a referral for a procedure. The internist subsequently sees the patient for a problem that the procedure manifested. May I report a consult for the subsequent visit? Answer: You should code this service as an established patient office visit (99212-99215, Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient ...) or as subsequent hospital care (99231-99233, Subsequent hospital care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient ...), depending on the setting.
Maryland Subscriber
Because the subsequent visit is for managing the patient's condition, you should not consider it a consult.
Exception: If the referring physician requests the subsequent consult visit, the encounter may qualify as a consultation (99241-99255). The patient's medical record should contain documentation of the request for opinion, rendering of findings, and report to the requesting physician.
Internal Medicine Coding Alert
- 'Tell It Like It Is' Bronchospasm Dx's Should Make Coding -- and Reimbursement -- Easier
Now you can describe significant pain with these new ICD-9 codes Simpler times ahead: Beginning [...] - Educate Your Internists On Aftercare's New Requirement
ICD-9 2007 lets you break out dressing change, suture removal Your summer coding education program [...] - You be the Coder:
Quickly Unravel 99354-99355's Time Requirements
Question: An internist saw a Medicare patient with an extremely complicated history and medical management [...] - Case Study:
Combat Pre-Op Exam Denials With These Front-Line Strategies
Experts walk you through solving a Medicare 99252-SNF payment problem The next time Medicare rejects [...] - Reader Questions:
Unbundling Error Costs Practice $2.50+
Question: On a claim for 94760-91 x 2, the insurer denied the second pulse oximetry [...] - Reader Questions:
Could a New Problem Be a Consult Opportunity?
Question: A patient originally came to our office based on a referral for a procedure. [...] - Reader Questions:
93018--Find Out When to Break Test Code
Question: An internist orders a cardiac stress test on a hospital patient who complains of [...] - Reader Questions:
Avoid This No-Credit History Statement
Question: If an internist marks a Medicare patient's history element as "noncontributory," should I count [...] - Reader Questions:
Focus Your Colonoscopy Coding on These 2 Words
Question: When performing a colonoscopy, an internist finds a miniscule polyp. He applies the tips [...]