We are having trouble getting paid for initial date seen in the hospital by Aetna. They are saying the plan has a maximum number of services allowed for this procedure even though this is the first and only time our doctor has done a consult on this patient. I called Aetna and was told they pay the first provider that sends in their claim with this code no matter how many consulting doctors there are. I know they do not recognize consult codes 99243, 99244, and 99245 and the admitting doctor should add the AI modifier to the 99221, 99222, or 99223. How do all of the other consulting doctors get paid? Any ideas or suggestions on this. We are sending in a reconsideration with the hospital records, but I would hate to have to do this with every Aetna patient.