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Is it appropriate for depression screening to be considered an element in medical decision making when it's not billed separately? Example: New patient seen for acute issue and provider decides to screen for depression at the dos.
No, screening is a routine test given to a healthy and asymptomatic patient. It's a preventive service that is not part of the evaluation and management of a problem.
If the provider is concerned about a particular issue and having the patient take the test to rule out depression, that's a different situation and it not really considered a screening and that could potentially be counted.