Wiki New practice buys old practice

[slwalsh]

If someone sells their medical practice to a completely new group of physicians, who had nothing to do with the old practice, are the initial visits with the new drs considered new or existing patients?

 

[MarcusM]

http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Edu...k-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE1010.pdf

What constitutes a new versus an established patient? Can a provider bill an office/outpatient new patient visit code and/or an initial hospital care service code for a patient seen within the past three years but for a new problem?
A. The rules with respect to new and established patient office visits are unchanged. Providers should follow the guidance in Publication 100-04, Chapter 12, Section 30.6.7 of the Medicare Claims Processing Manual:
Interpret the phrase “new patient” to mean a patient who has not received any professional services, i.e., E/M service or other face-to-face service (e.g., surgical procedure) from the physician or physician group practice (same physician specialty) within the previous 3 years. For example, if a professional component of a previous procedure is billed in a 3 year time period, e.g., a lab interpretation is billed and no E/M service or other face-to-face service with the patient is performed, then this patient remains a new patient for the initial visit. An interpretation of a diagnostic test, reading an x-ray or EKG, etc., in the absence of an E/M service or other face-to-face service with the patient does not affect the designation of a new patient.

 

[slwalsh]

Thanks for your help! It's appreciated!