Orthopedic Coding Alert

Question: An emergency department physician asked our surgeon to see a Medicare patient with severe shoulder pain following a golf injury. The ED doctor specifically requested that our surgeon take responsibility for treating the patient, so I dont think this can count as a consult. Can I report an ED visit for our surgeon, who is not an ED physician? New York Subscriber Answer: Contrary to popular belief, any physician can report the ED codes (99281-99285, Emergency department visit for the E/M of a patient ...) if he provides a service in the ED. This does not mean, however, that an ED code is the only choice when a physician sees a patient in the ED. According to the Medicare Claims Processing Manual, specialists should report an ED visit for services rendered in the ED, unless the: " service provided meets the criteria for a consult " physician delivers critical [...]