Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: A resident on call in the emergency room (ER) saw a patient with a broken ankle. The resident and the attending physician review and discuss the case over the phone. The physician doesn't physically evaluate the patient as an inpatient until the following day. Can I bill for that first encounter with the resident? Georgia Subscriber Answer: No, you cannot bill the ER visit with the resident. There has to be an attending physician in order to report a billable service. Tip: If the resident admitted the patient and the attending physician did the rounds the next day, you can use the resident's note to support the level of service that you bill on the second day -- for example, 99221 (Initial hospital care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient ...). The attending physician must see the patient within 24 hours of admission for you to [...]