Wiki Can a nurse bill a 99212?

[ahp-tvh]

We are swabbing for COVID and sending it to an outside lab. Can a 99212 be billed by a nurse? What if the physician sticks there head in the door then would it be appropriate? I have a physician that thinks we should be able to bill a 99212 for this because so much is involved with the testing. Preliminary questions, decision to swab or not to, test results back to families. What is everyone's thoughts or what are you doing for testing.

 

[SharonCollachi]

It's not a 99212 service. I know I've posted this answer before. Here you go:

COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory Tests: Billing for Clinician Services
Physicians and Non-Physician Practitioners (NPPs): Here are several reminders related to billing for COVID-19 symptom and exposure assessment and specimen collection performed on and after March 1, 2020:

• Use CPT code 99211 to bill for assessment and collection provided by clinical staff (such as pharmacists) incident to your services, unless you are reporting another Evaluation and Management (E/M) code for concurrent services. This applies to all patients, not just established patients.
• Submit the CS modifier with 99211 (or other E/M code for assessment and collection) to waive cost sharing.
• Contact your Medicare Administrative Contractor if you did not include the CS modifier when you submitted 99211 so they can reopen and reprocess the claim.
• We will automatically reprocess claims billed for 99211 that we denied due to place of service editing.