Wiki 93306, face to face?

[jluvl88]

My Cardiologist performed an ECHO, 93306 then had an office visit about three weeks later to review the ECHO. He billed the E and M as a new patient, but the entire 93306 service was billed under his NPI, no modifier -26. My take is that he supervised the service, therefore this was, technically, a face-to-face service which would cause a denial for "new patient criteria" by Medicare. Anyone dealt with this?

 

[thomas7331]

Per my understanding, supervision and/or interpretation of diagnostic tests has never been considered a face-to-face service, so the new patient designation would be correct.

 

[jluvl88]

Per my question, the entire service is billed under the rendering provider's NPI, NOT just the I and R. If the entire procedure, WITHOUT modifier -26 attached, is billed for the cardiolgist, is the diagnostic procedure-the whole diagnostic procedure-considered face to face.