Patient had Telehealth Zoom (audio & video)visit, with documentation on SOA (Subjective, Objective and Assessment/Diagnosis) but in PLAN, Provider recommends in person visit for further evaluation and exam. No tests ordered, referral or communication with other providers. And patient seen in person same day for same condition. Is the earlier zoom visit billable? What if seen in person next day for the same reason, is the zoom visit the previous day also billable?
-
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ & read the forum rules. To view all forums, post or create a new thread, you must be an AAPC Member. If you are a member and have already registered for member area and forum access, you can log in by clicking here. If you've forgotten your username or password use our password reminder tool. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below..
Wiki Telehealth Visit (Audio and Video)
- Thread starter moth0201@hotmail.com
- Start date
jkyles
True Blue
- Messages
- 937
- Best answers
- 1
So far as I'm aware you'll follow the same rules as for in-person E/M visits. If the same day telehealth E/M and the in-person E/M are for the same problem you'd report one visit. I think Medicare expects - and wants - patients to come in when the physician sees a need. For the second scenario I'm a little confused. It sounds like you would have two incomplete encounters and wouldn't report either one.
Cheezum51
True Blue
I'm not sure if it was changed first of the year, but I believe that if the Telehealth visit resulted in patient being seen in office within a certain period of time (can't remember exactly but want to say 1 day), the Telehealth visit isn't billable.
Tom Cheezum, OD, CPC, COPC
Tom Cheezum, OD, CPC, COPC
thranowski
Guru
When has this been the case? Are you thinking of a physician phone call, where if it's within a certain amount of time before or after an OV for the same problem, you cannot bill the phone call?
When this has happened in our office, we've combined both visits into one note and the provider documented it was a telehealth that turned into an in person visit. We bill one E&M code.
I appreciate your feedback. Thank you.