Wiki 2021 E/M Counseling and/or Coordination of care

[KoBee]

If a providers wants to use time for leveling his office visit because he was counseling patient majority of his visit. Does that counseling still have to meet the threshold of counseling and/or coordination of care of more than 50%? guideline still apply?

reason I ask its because its states " other E/M services that you code based on time, you will still need to meet the threshold of counseling and/or coordination of care taking up more than 50% of the visit. " but it doesn't mention it for the office or other outpatient services.

Can anyone help please

 

[thomas7331]

For office/outpatient codes 99202-99215, the code level can be chosen based on MDM or total encounter time - it no longer requires 50% of the time be spent in counseling or coordinating care in order to use time.

The 'other E/M services' that they are referring to, which still must be coded according to the old rules, are the corresponding E/M codes for facility places of services - emergency, observation, inpatient, etc.