Wiki E/M coding in office setting

[Henson65]

All,
I am having some difficulties accepting answers that I am being given by administration of my organization. Here is what they are telling me:
When a physician sees a patient in an office setting, the physician does not have to document a physical exam, if the physician simply states something along the lines of 50% of visit time spent counseling patient.

It is my understanding that all patients need to have some sort of physical exam documented and the physican cannot just simply say they spent X amount of time seeing the patient and counseling the patient. I have always been taught if there is no actual Physical exam of some sort, than the visit cannot be billed, unless it is a simple 99201 or 99211. Does anyone have anything to add on this, or information that I can take back to my administration?

 

[alinton01]

E/M Coding

Look at the special rules on page 10 of the 2012 CPT book labeled "Select the Appropriate Level of E/M Services Based on the Following #3" It gives the rule for use of E/M when counseling and/or coordination of care dominates the physician/patient and/or family encounter.