If a Hospitalist is scheduled to see a patient, but the patient expires before being seen and the only services done are dictation of expiration and certifying death certificate, is there any service code that can be billed? Please advise. Thank you Andrea
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Wiki Death certifications
- Thread starter achughes
- Start date
lmartien
Guru
I did some research around your question and found this site (http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2008/05/come-forth-great-communicators-and.html). It essentially says if the hospitalist is who pronounces the patient, he/she may charge 99282-99283 Discharge Services. It states:
Hospital Discharge Management and Death Pronouncement
•Only the physician who personally performs the pronouncement of death shall bill for the face-to-face Hospital Discharge Day Management Service, CPT? code 99238 or 99239.
•The date of the pronouncement shall reflect the calendar date of service on the day it was performed even if the paperwork is delayed to a subsequent date.
Hope this helps,
Hospital Discharge Management and Death Pronouncement
•Only the physician who personally performs the pronouncement of death shall bill for the face-to-face Hospital Discharge Day Management Service, CPT? code 99238 or 99239.
•The date of the pronouncement shall reflect the calendar date of service on the day it was performed even if the paperwork is delayed to a subsequent date.
Hope this helps,