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Wiki Telehealth visit

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sphilbert

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The providers will do a virtual visit and then finish documenting, order tests etc for 5 mins or more after the visit is over with the patient. Can that time be included in the visit for billing purposes? I say yes but I am not 100% sure.

Thank you.
 
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According to the CPT book, "The non-face-to-face time for office service - also called pre and postencounter time - is not included in the time component described in the E&M codes."

So the answer is no.

Also, "When counseling and/or coordination of care dominates (more than 50%) the encounter with the patient and/or family (face-to-face time), then time shall be the controlling factor to qualify for a particular level of E&M services. The extent of counseling and/or coordination of care must be documented in the medical record." This includes time spent.

This means if 25 minutes are spent face-to-face, and 13 minutes are spent on counseling/CofC, then it is a 99214. In that same scenario, if 12 minutes are spent on counseling, then it cannot be coded by time as it is not more than 50%, OR if one more minute was in the ftf (26 minutes), and 13 minutes still on counseling, then it cannot be coded based on time.

25 minutes ftf, 13 couns = 99214; 25 min ftf, 11-12 couns = cannot code based on time
25 minutes ftf, 13 couns = 99214; 26 min ftf, 12-13 couns = cannot code based on time

15 minutes ftf, 8 couns = 99213; 16 min ftf, 7-8 couns = cannot code based on time
 
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SharonCollachi said:
According to the CPT book, "The non-face-to-face time for office service - also called pre and postencounter time - is not included in the time component described in the E&M codes."

So the answer is no.

Also, "When counseling and/or coordination of care dominates (more than 50%) the encounter with the patient and/or family (face-to-face time), then time shall be the controlling factor to qualify for a particular level of E&M services. The extent of counseling and/or coordination of care must be documented in the medical record." This includes time spent.

This means if 25 minutes are spent face-to-face, and 13 minutes are spent on counseling/CofC, then it is a 99214. In that same scenario, if 12 minutes are spent on counseling, then it cannot be coded by time as it is not more than 50%, OR if one more minute was in the ftf (26 minutes), and 13 minutes still on counseling, then it cannot be coded based on time.

25 minutes ftf, 13 couns = 99214; 25 min ftf, 11-12 couns = cannot code based on time
25 minutes ftf, 13 couns = 99214; 26 min ftf, 12-13 couns = cannot code based on time

15 minutes ftf, 8 couns = 99213; 16 min ftf, 7-8 couns = cannot code based on time
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Understood. Thank you.
 
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