Practice Management Alert

Question: Can telephone calls made by physicians be billed, and, if so, whats the best way to charge for them?

Illinois Subscriber  
Answer: Although CPT codes for telephone calls do exist, no payers use them or reimburse them, and you should not bill them. Telephone calls for patient counseling are considered part of the E/M service connected to the visit. If a patient sees the physician today, and the patient calls with questions the next two days, the calls are considered part of the original E/M service. If you have patients who engage the physician in frequent, extensive phone calls, you should suggest that the patient make an office visit to discuss problems directly with the physician.
 
Physicians can charge for phone calls with attorneys. Attorneys often ask physicians to review patients medical records for workers compensation cases. The physician usually provides the written review in a report, but the attorney might discuss it with the physician on the phone. In such cases, charging the attorney a fee would be appropriate. The amount of that fee is determined by the practice, and often charged on an hourly basis.