Friday 30 May 2014

Observation new cpt code - 99218, 99219, 99220, 99224, 99225, 99217

Initial Observation care:

99218  Initial observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient which requires these 3 key components: A detailed or comprehensive history; A detailed or comprehensive examination; and Medical decision making that is straightforward or of low complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the problem(s) requiring admission to "observation status" are of low severity.

99219  Initial observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these 3 key components: A comprehensive history; A comprehensive examination; and Medical decision making of moderate complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the problem(s) requiring admission to "observation status" are of moderate severity.

99220  Initial observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these 3 key components: A comprehensive history; A comprehensive examination; and Medical decision making of high complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the problem(s) requiring admission to "observation status" are of high severity.

Subsequent Observation care: New codes effective from Jan 1, 2011

99224 - Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: Problem focused interval history; Problem focused examination; Medical decision making that is straightforward or of low complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient’s and/or family’s needs. Usually, the patient is stable, recovering, or improving. Physicians typically spend 15 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

99225 - Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: An expanded problem focused interval history; An expanded problem focused examination; 

Medical decision making of moderate complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient’s and/or family’s needs. Usually, the patient is responding inadequately to therapy or has developed a minor complication. Physicians typically spend 25 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit

99226 - Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: A detailed interval history; A detailed examination; Medical decision making of high complexity. 

Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient’s and/or family’s needs. Usually, the patient is unstable or has developed a significant complication or a significant new problem. Physicians typically spend 35 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

Observation discharge:

99217  Observation care discharge day management (This code is to be utilized by the physician to report all services provided to a patient on discharge from "observation status" if the discharge is on other than the initial date of "observation status." To report services to a patient designated as "observation status" or "inpatient status" and discharged on the same date, use the codes for Observation or Inpatient Care Services [including Admission and Discharge Services, 99234-99236 as appropriate.])

observation CPT code 99217 - 99220, 99234 - 99236 - How to bill

Hospital Observation Services 99217-99220 and 99234-99236

Placement in observation status requires an order from a provider with admitting privileges.  Patients are in observation to determine whether the patient should be admitted to the hospital, transferred to another facility, or sent home.

When there is a three-day observation period, the middle day is coded with an established outpatient visit code, 99211-99215 based on the documentation.

The following services are not covered as outpatient observation services:

•    Observation services that exceed 24 hours unless an exception is deemed necessary following a medical necessity review.  

•    Services that are not reasonable or necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of the patient but are provided for the convenience of the patient, his or her family, or a physician/provider (e.g., following an uncomplicated treatment or procedure; physician/provider busy when patient is physically ready for discharge; patient awaiting placement in a long-term care facility).

•    Inpatient services.

•    Services associated with ambulatory procedure visits.

•    Routine preparation services furnished prior to the testing and recovery afterwards (e.g., patients undergoing diagnostic testing in a hospital outpatient department).

•    Observation concurrent with treatments such as chemotherapy.

•    Services for postoperative monitoring.

•    Any substitution of an outpatient observation service for a medically appropriate inpatient admission.

•    Services that were ordered as inpatient services by the admitting physician/provider but reported as outpatient observation services by the hospital.

•    Standing orders for observation following outpatient services.

•    Discharges to outpatient observation status after an inpatient hospital admission.

When a patient is admitted from observation status, the ADM record for the observation care should be closed out with a disposition type of “admitted.”  

When a patient is referred from observation to an ambulatory procedure unit (APU) or another MTF, the ADM record for the observation care is closed out with disposition type of “immediate referral.”  

E&M codes will be used to document the length and acuity of observation care services in ADM. Observation E&M codes relate to the number of calendar days (dates) the patient spends in observation status and the acuity of the stay. 

Observation CPT code 99233, 99234, 99235 and 99236 

99233 : Subsequent hospital care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least two of these three key components: a detailed interval history; a detailed examination; medical decision making of high complexity. 

Counseling and/or coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the patient is unstable or has developed a significant complication or a significant new problem. Typically, 35 minutes are spent at the bedside and on the patient's hospital floor or unit.
Billing Instructions: Bill 1 unit per visit.

99234 Observation or inpatient hospital care, for the evaluation and management of a patient including admission and discharge on the same date which requires these three key components: a detailed or comprehensive history; a detailed or comprehensive examination; and medical decision making that is straightforward or of low complexity. 

Counseling and/or coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) requiring admission are of low severity. Typically, 40 minutes are spent at the bedside and on the patient's hospital floor or unit.

Billing Instructions: Bill 1 unit per visit.

99235 Observation or inpatient hospital care, for the evaluation and management of a patient including admission and discharge on the same date which requires these three key components: a comprehensive history; a comprehensive examination; and medical decision making of moderate complexity. 

Counseling and/or coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) requiring admission are of moderate severity. Typically, 50 minutes are spent at the bedside and on the patient's hospital floor or unit. Billing Instructions: Bill 1 unit per visit.

99236 Observation or inpatient hospital care, for the evaluation and management of a patient including admission and discharge on the same date, which requires these 3 key components: a comprehensive history; a comprehensive examination; and medical decision making of high complexity. 

Counseling and/or coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problems(s) and the patient’s and/or family’s needs. Usually the presenting problem(s) requiring admission are of high severity. Typically, 55 minutes are spent at the bedside and on the patient's hospital floor or unit. Billing Instructions: Bill 1 unit per visit. 

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