Wiki Prolonged Service codes

[cycle47]

What type of detailed documentation is recommended when a provider used prolonged service codes 99354 or 99355? The time has been documented but no detail of what the doctor was doing during the prolonged time.

 

[heatherwinters]

Prolonged Services

According to:
http://www.empiremedicare.com/mr/prolonged.htm

"These codes represent at least 30 minutes of time spent beyond the usual E&M visit, and require documentation of both time and the medical necessity for spending the additional time. Unusual clinical situations may warrant prolonged face-to-face contact between physician and patient, and when that time exceeds 30 minutes, the provider may submit for payment in addition to the base Evaluation & Management (E&M) code. Additional time spent does not have to be continuous, and can represent the sum of incremental periods in a given day."