Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Question: Our physician often makes post-procedure phone calls. Can we code that service, and if so, how? Indiana Subscriber Answer: CPT offers six codes to report telephone services: 98966-98968 (Telephone assessment and management service provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional ...) and 99441-99443 (Telephone evaluation and management service provided by a physician ...). Caveat: Just because you use these codes does not mean you can report these codes -- or that you will get paid for phone services if you do bill the codes. In general, thoroughly review the CPT guidelines before coding telephone service calls. Many elements determine whether you can even code phone services, including the following: • To report 99441-99443, your neurologist must be the one providing the telephone service. If a qualified nonphysician healthcare professional, such as a therapist, handles phone calls from patients, you should use codes 98966-98968 to report these. Phone calls often [...]