Pulmonology Coding Alert

Careful: You should always bundle ventilator management codes with E/M.Keep your encounter notes guarded and save about $100 by reporting mechanical ventilation management in critical care. In cases where documentation supports only the ventilator management service, drop the critical care code in favor of a ventilator management code -- or else risk denial.Tackle These 3 ScenariosGo for the most optimal solution when dealing with ventilator management claims. Knowing which details to focus on could do the trick.Scenario 1: Your pulmonologist provides ventilator management. The progress notes describe the service as more in line with 99291. But you think 94003 is a better choice. What should you report?Scenario 2: A hospital inpatient experiences acute respiratory failure, is intubated, and needs ventilator assistance to breathe. The pulmonologist evaluates the patient, and directs both the ventilator setup and the patient's first-day ventilator management. What should you report?Scenario 3: A 67-year-old patient with obstructive chronic [...]