# Power of Attorney Visit



## abyrne (Sep 22, 2008)

Can anyone provide supporting information on how to properly bill for a Power of Attorney exam?  The patient has to have two physician signatures for the Power of Attorney form.  How should these two visits be billed?  Can both be covered by insurance?  By Medicare?


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## heatherwinters (Sep 22, 2008)

*Power of Attorney Examination*

At whose request was the examination completed?


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## abyrne (Sep 29, 2008)

There wasn't a request.  The state law requires that two physicians evaluate a patient to deterimine the patient mentally incompitent.  Both physicians had evaluated the patient, determined she was gradually decreasing mentally and no longer capable of making certain types of decisions.  Therefore the Power of Attorney needed to be assigned.


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## abyrne (Oct 7, 2008)

*help - Power of Attorney*

Can anyone answer this?  There wasn't a request, the state mandates require that 2 physicians sign the Power of Attorney form and evaluate the patient. 

Can anyone provide supporting information on how to properly bill for a Power of Attorney exam?  The patient has to have two physician signatures for the Power of Attorney form.  How should these two visits be billed?  Can both be covered by insurance?  By Medicare?


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## FTessaBartels (Oct 7, 2008)

*96116*

Could it be that your physician is performing a Neurobehavioral status exam ... CPT 96116?  This is usually the "mini mental" exam ... it includes BOTH the face-to-face time and the time spent interpreting test results and writing the report.

You might also contact the state and ask them what code they want if it is for a Medic*aid* patient. (I know, you're asking about Medic*are* ... but the state runs Medicaid, and since it's the state's requirement, they might have some idea of what code they want to see reported for this service.)

Also, I would think that the state requirement for two physicians is for two *independent* physicians, so they probably shouldn't be from the same practice. Again, the state is your best resource to answer that question. 

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CPC-E/M


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