ER/Place of service

[lchiar41]

My doctors saw a patient in the ER and then performed surgery for a mangled hand, the documentation never states and admission. Should I be billing for an ER place of service or Outpatient? we are having a disagreement in my office about this:

 

[OCD_coder]

If the surgery was performed in the ER, then the POS would be the ER.
If the patient went to the OR and you cannot determine whether or note the patient was admitted, they would be considered an outpatient POS.

Of note: Sometimes it is not determined whether or not the patient will be admitted until they are in recovery, so the surgery can/should still be billed as an outpatient. What is their status the moment they are performing the surgery - where are they? should be the defining factor. You also have to be aware of how the hospital bills these POS or your MD may get denied.

 

[terrihamilton]

ER visit then surgery

Did your dr charge for an ER E/M? My doc went to the ER saw the pt then took the pt to surgery. The E/M was denied due to POS. The E/M was keyed as Location: ER, POS: ER

I would have keyed the ER (99283-25) visit as:
Location: Outpt Hospital
POS: ER
Practice Location: Dr practice info

and the surgery (53620) is Outpt Hospital

Is this correct?