Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: My podiatrist heard that there's a code we can bill and be paid on just for the physician's writing of a prescription. Is there actually such a code, and if so, can we report it in addition to an E/M service or when a patient calls in and the physician simply writes a prescription out?New Jersey SubscriberAnswer: There is no CPT® code that you should report when your physician writes a prescription for a patient. CPT® specifically includes writing prescriptions as part of an E/M service. Your office should just consider prescription writing as part of the cost of seeing patients.Coding solution: If someone in your office, either the physician or a nurse, is seeing the patient, you should report the appropriate E/M code--for example, an established patient code (99211-99215, Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient ...).However, incident-to guidelines must be met [...]