nucarolyn
Contributor
Hi Everyone....
I am needing help with how to properly code when a patient is in observation status for a day or two in the hospital and then converted to inpatient status. On the day that the status was changed to inpatient the patient was also discharged. How should the discharge be billed? 99217 or 99238/239, the patient was in inpatient status for less than 8 hours.
I say for less than 8 hours inpatient it should be 99217 however, my colleague says it must be 99238 or 99239. Any advise would be greatly appreciated...
Thank you,
Carol M, CPC
I am needing help with how to properly code when a patient is in observation status for a day or two in the hospital and then converted to inpatient status. On the day that the status was changed to inpatient the patient was also discharged. How should the discharge be billed? 99217 or 99238/239, the patient was in inpatient status for less than 8 hours.
I say for less than 8 hours inpatient it should be 99217 however, my colleague says it must be 99238 or 99239. Any advise would be greatly appreciated...
Thank you,
Carol M, CPC