jsalzer50
Networker
Question:
If an ED Physician sees the patient in the ED and then admits the patient to the hospital, do I, either as the physician or ED facility coder, report the E/M services done in the ER, OR, do I not code the E/M services from the ER report because the patient is now regarded as Inpatient, and the service is now part of the Initial hospital care, as the ER report becomes a permanent part of the Inpatient medical record for Inpatient coding at the Hospital?
Thank you!
- Jacob
On a similar thread, I read a previous post by RebeccaWoodward that I appreciated, but it's about a different scenario: when an ED Physician requests another physician to consult the patient in the ER, and the other physician admits the patient. Specifically her post mentions a Medicare guideline that says: "F. Emergency Department Physician Requests Another Physician to See the Patient in Emergency Department or Office/Outpatient Setting. If the emergency department physician requests that another physician evaluate a given patient, the other physician should bill an emergency department visit code. If the patient is admitted to the hospital by the second physician performing the evaluation, he or she should bill an initial hospital care code and not an emergency department visit code. (Medicare Chpt 12) If this is a NON-Medicare and the carrier still recognizes the consultation codes and the requirements for a consultation are met (assuming an opinion was being sought) , you could bill from 99241-99245."
If an ED Physician sees the patient in the ED and then admits the patient to the hospital, do I, either as the physician or ED facility coder, report the E/M services done in the ER, OR, do I not code the E/M services from the ER report because the patient is now regarded as Inpatient, and the service is now part of the Initial hospital care, as the ER report becomes a permanent part of the Inpatient medical record for Inpatient coding at the Hospital?
Thank you!
- Jacob
On a similar thread, I read a previous post by RebeccaWoodward that I appreciated, but it's about a different scenario: when an ED Physician requests another physician to consult the patient in the ER, and the other physician admits the patient. Specifically her post mentions a Medicare guideline that says: "F. Emergency Department Physician Requests Another Physician to See the Patient in Emergency Department or Office/Outpatient Setting. If the emergency department physician requests that another physician evaluate a given patient, the other physician should bill an emergency department visit code. If the patient is admitted to the hospital by the second physician performing the evaluation, he or she should bill an initial hospital care code and not an emergency department visit code. (Medicare Chpt 12) If this is a NON-Medicare and the carrier still recognizes the consultation codes and the requirements for a consultation are met (assuming an opinion was being sought) , you could bill from 99241-99245."