Wiki Critical care help

[Gemini18]

I am posting this for a friend of mined who is not a member, but she reads the post.


Two physicians saw the same patient on the same day. Dr. D admitted the patient to ICU at 4:20pm and billed a 99291 (dx: Seizures, HTN, GI bleed, Alcohol withdrawal). Dr. M was called in and saw the patient at 11:15 pm, spent 60 minutes with the patient in ICU, and billed 99291 (diagnoses: Alcohol withdrawal, HTN, cardiac dysrhythmia, open wound of tongue). What should Dr. M bill?

 

[FTessaBartels]

He already billed

Maybe I'm reading your scenario wrong, but I thought Dr M already billed 99291.

Are both physicians in the same practice, same specialty? Then they will be considered the same doctor so all the time should be added together and billed under one physician (take your pick Dr A or Dr M) using the appropriate 99291 and 99292 codes.

If they are different practices or different specialties in the same practice, they can each use the 99291 code as per the time they individually documented.

Hope that answers the question.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[Gemini18]

Thanks Tessa -

I just re-read it, You're right Dr. M already billed 99291. I believe she's asking if it was the right code.