dballard2004
True Blue
I have a question that I hope someone canhelp clarify for me. I think I know the answer to this, but I guess I just need some reasuurance.
A new patient comes into our clinic and all we perform is preventative counseling, CPT code 99401. The patient had no symptoms. I am aware that the CPT book states that code 99401 can be used for either a new or an established patient, but if the patient was new and all we did was the counseling only, code 99401, if the patient returns to us for a sick visit a few weeks later, are they now an establsihed patient?
Now, I say yes because an E/M service was created on the intial visit, but I have a few coders in my office challenging this.
Any opinions? Thanks.
A new patient comes into our clinic and all we perform is preventative counseling, CPT code 99401. The patient had no symptoms. I am aware that the CPT book states that code 99401 can be used for either a new or an established patient, but if the patient was new and all we did was the counseling only, code 99401, if the patient returns to us for a sick visit a few weeks later, are they now an establsihed patient?
Now, I say yes because an E/M service was created on the intial visit, but I have a few coders in my office challenging this.
Any opinions? Thanks.