# critical care time



## Cynthia A (Sep 24, 2010)

Date of service:  9/20/10

Hosptialist A saw patient for 50 min,   then hosptialist B saw patient for 120 minutes..  What codes do you come up with for this date of service??

99291
99292x3

or

 99291
99292x4

or something different


----------



## Nandhakumar007 (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi

The code is 99291,99292*3

Regards...
Nandha


----------



## FTessaBartels (Sep 29, 2010)

*Add all time together*

First - and most importantly - you have to be certain that this is actually critical care. Your explanation only lists time, but I will assume that it is all direct critical care time.

You add all time together and report ONLY under ONE physician's name (assuming they are both in the same practice, with same specialty).

You have a total of 170 minutes.  Per the table in 2010 CPT Professional Edition (page 22) you would report 99291 x 1, and 99292 x 4.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC


----------



## Michelle Thompson (Oct 5, 2010)

Be careful with that Critical Care Table.  
The coding for the 170 minutes would be  99291 and 99292 x 3.
74 min. for the 1 hr
30 min.
30 min.
30 min
total  164 minutes.


----------



## FTessaBartels (Oct 5, 2010)

*Table is clear*

Look at that table again, Michelle.

*TOTAL* critical care time is listed on the left side.  Corresponding codes on the right.
It clearly states:   *165-194 minutes of Total Critical Care = 99291 x 1, 99292 x 4*

I "fought" against it when I first started coding, but it is just as outlined in the table. I stand by my original answer.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC


----------



## Anita Johnson (Oct 5, 2010)

*99291 & 99292 q3*

I agree with Michelle. You get the 99291 for 74 minutes, leaving 96 min. You get 99292 for the next 90 minutes leaving 6 minutes. The minimum threshold for 99292 is 15 minutes, therefore the last six minutes are a wash. Thanks for listening. Anita Johnson, CPC, CEMC.


----------

