Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

Question: We recently hired a new podiatrist who is questioning whether we can bill any extra codes for a walk-in established patient. He told us that his previous practice was able to collect for the office visit code and 99058. Is this accurate?West Virginia SubscriberAnswer: Many practices do collect for 99058 (Service[s] provided on an emergency basis in the office, which disrupts other scheduled office services, in addition to basic service) when billed with office visits, but the answer to your question depends on the patient and the insurer. In most practices, the staff members will triage the patient to determine if the condition is considered emergent. If it's determined to be non-emergent, they offer the patient the next available appointment, and if the patient needs to be seen immediately, they will disrupt the physician's schedule to ensure that the walk-in patient is seen.There are some situations in which you can report [...]