# Any billable charges for ER doc to read an EKG and start a "STEMI" code?



## acgtammy (Jan 24, 2011)

Are there any billable charges when an ER physician (not employed by hospital) reads and EKG?  We have a hard time when a patient comes in with a "STEMI" getting these EKGs read in time to treat the patient efficiently.


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## jvargocpc (Jan 24, 2011)

The facility where the ekg was performed would charge for performing the EKG, but if the doctor reading the EKG is not an employee of the hospital, whoever he works for would be charging for his reading of the EKG.


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## jimbo1231 (Jan 24, 2011)

*Ekg*

Some ED groups bill for the EKG, other's don't. It is sometimes a political football with Cardiology since Medicare will only pay for 1 EKG. But if properly documented you can code and bill the ED doc's interp(you would be billing interp only for hospital based doc) as JV ststed.

jim


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