johnbouis
New
Can an E&M code be charged for visit between the pediatrition and parents without the child present. There is HPI update and counseling/coordination of care. No exam but child is established.
I disagree. E/M codes are meant for the evaluation and management of a patient - meaning the patient must be present for the evaluation. Counseling and coordination of care can include discussion with parents or guardians regarding management, but if the patient is not present you are missing the evaluation piece. Time can be considered the controlling factor to qualify for a level of service, but the patient still must be present for an E/M to be reported. These codes are meant for patient encounters, not family encounters.
Anyone else in the E/M community want to weigh in on this?
Lisa Curtis, CPC, E/M