Primary Care Coding Alert

Question: Can I use 90862 for follow-up visits of patients on anti-depressant medication? Because it's a psychiatric code, I'm afraid of denials. Florida Subscriber Answer: Family physicians can use 90862 (Pharmacologic management, including prescription, use, and review of medication with no more than minimal medical psychotherapy). CPT indicates that a physician does not have to be a psychiatrist to use the psychiatric codes. Use this code if the following applies:


The FP manages medication for the patient who is in psychotherapy with a non-prescribing colleague. The patient's condition is being effectively treated by psychotropic drugs alone. The FP is primarily managing a patient who has an organic-type disorder (e.g., senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type) with the use of medication. Usually the FP does not provide other services at follow-up visits for patients who started on antidepressants. However, if the physician sees the patient for another complaint, for example a sore throat, he or she can only code for the E/M service because it includes the pharmacologic management as one of the medical decision-making components.