Pediatric Coding Alert

Observation services expansion eliminates payer coding variation.In 2011, coders will have a new option when reporting the middle day of observations that last longer than normal.Check out this expert advice on how CPT additions will affect your observation care services coding starting on Jan. 1, 2011.New Codes Offer ClarityBefore 2011, coding for the "middle days" of an observation service was a problem, says Jill Young, CPC, CEDC, CIMC,principle with Young Medical Consulting LLC in East Lansing,Mich."Although not the norm, there are situations where a patient is admitted to observation and remains in that status for three or more days," Young explains.The CPT 2011 E/M section addresses these middle days,with new codes. The three new codes parallel the hospital subsequent care series in terms of component requirements and time frames. The new codes include:99224 -- Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least [...]