JeanArlauckas
New
How does one bill for interpreter services if the time documented is greater than 15 minutes but less than 30? for example 18 minutes.
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Wiki Billing for T1013
- Thread starter JeanArlauckas
- Start date
Pathos
True Blue
The way any time-based code is counted in terms of units per the CPT book, is the amount of time has to be greater than the midpoint. So for example, for one unit of T1013 (15 minutes), documentation has to support at least 8 minutes of translation services. For two units, documentation has to support at least 23 minutes (15+8 minutes). If documentation supported 18 minutes, you should only bill for one unit. The CPT book also explains that this range is considered the average time spent on the service, hence the slight leeway in either direction.
Look it up in any of the newer CPT books under Time in the Introduction section.
Hope that helps!
Look it up in any of the newer CPT books under Time in the Introduction section.
Hope that helps!
JeanArlauckas
New
That description doesn't apply to E/M coding based on time correct?
KJ4AAPC
Contributor
Hello,
I just re-read page 7-8 of my CPT 2018 Professional, and I am not finding the information that you explained in reference to the units of time. When I read the explanation of T1013 it says per 15 minutes and anything less than 15 minutes I don't count. Did you get this information from a guideline? If so could you please point me in that direction? I appreciate your time and feedback. Sorry, I didn't find that explanation in the CPT.
Thank you,
Kiley
I just re-read page 7-8 of my CPT 2018 Professional, and I am not finding the information that you explained in reference to the units of time. When I read the explanation of T1013 it says per 15 minutes and anything less than 15 minutes I don't count. Did you get this information from a guideline? If so could you please point me in that direction? I appreciate your time and feedback. Sorry, I didn't find that explanation in the CPT.
Thank you,
Kiley
Sri
Contributor
T1013
Hello,
As per Gordon Hinckely thread, what he explained is correct. I just read in one of the bcbs site that it should be at least 8 min time in order to consider as 1 unit and if the total time is 18 min, so consider 1 unit for 15 min and for additional 3 min still it would be 0 unit, because inorder to consider 1 unit additional it should be minimum of 8 min (ex: 15+8=23 min=2 units). Hope this helps. Please see below link.
https://www.bluecrossmn.com/healthy...PublicContentServlet?contentId=P11GA_15515171
Thank you,
Hello,
As per Gordon Hinckely thread, what he explained is correct. I just read in one of the bcbs site that it should be at least 8 min time in order to consider as 1 unit and if the total time is 18 min, so consider 1 unit for 15 min and for additional 3 min still it would be 0 unit, because inorder to consider 1 unit additional it should be minimum of 8 min (ex: 15+8=23 min=2 units). Hope this helps. Please see below link.
https://www.bluecrossmn.com/healthy...PublicContentServlet?contentId=P11GA_15515171
Thank you,
mawest21
New
I see T1013 in my 2023 HCPCS book as "...per 15 minutes." I see your statement that at least 8 minutes of time must be supported to consider a unit. Is this as part of the first unit? The code does not read "up to 15 minutes," but instead "per 15 minutes," and therefore, like Kiley above, I am not counting anything below 15 minutes. Please help me to clarify. Thank you.