Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert
Reader Questions:
Avoid Reporting 99281-99285 for Phone Call
Published on Fri Jan 07, 2011 
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Question:
Answer:
You should not report the phone call using a separate E/M code. If the oncologist had seen the patient in the ER, then you could report an ER code (99281-99285, Emergency department visit ...).Support:
Medicare Claims Processing Manual, chapter 12, section 30.6.11, states, "If the patient's personal physician does not come to the hospital to see the patient, but only advises the emergency department physician by telephone, then the patient's personal physician may not bill."You may access the manual online at www.cms.gov/Manuals/IOM/list.asp.
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