# 99288



## karen.benson (Mar 5, 2012)

does anyone know the documentation requirements for using 99288??


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## Raghupathy.Dharmaraj (Nov 10, 2014)

CPT code 99288 (Physician direction of emergency medical systems [EMS]
emergency care, advanced life support)that describes two-way communications with EMS personnel during transport to the ED but it has no
RVUs assigned and is not paid by Medicare. There are no CCI edits dealing with reporting codes 99291 and 99288 together.

Although code 99288 can include physician direction of procedures on a critically ill patient, those services are not performed or provided under their direct supervision. The CPT Assistant published an article in the November 2007 issue dealing with code 99288, acknowledging that it represents true physician work and significant medical liability.

I hope it helps!

Thanks,
Raghupathy Dharmaraj,CPC,CPC-H,CEDC


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## Amy Pritchett (Nov 17, 2014)

I use CPT code 99288 when the physician is on the phone with the EMS service and providing guidance on the way to the hospital (i.e. cardiac arrest). There are no documented NCCI edits when coding your critical care (99291 with the 99288). 

The only way I would use this code, however is the physician documents in his ED note that he spent time on the phone directing the EMS service. Otherwise, you have no documentation of the services. 

Remember, if billing for Medicare patient, you would use G0390 if the "critical care trauma team" responds and is activated.

Hope this helps


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## plpz (Sep 22, 2016)

Amy Pritchett said:


> I use CPT code 99288 when the physician is on the phone with the EMS service and providing guidance on the way to the hospital (i.e. cardiac arrest). There are no documented NCCI edits when coding your critical care (99291 with the 99288).
> 
> The only way I would use this code, however is the physician documents in his ED note that he spent time on the phone directing the EMS service. Otherwise, you have no documentation of the services.
> 
> ...




Hi! Hope all is well. I'm running into this issue as well. As I was researching regarding CPT 99288, this CPT does not have any RVUs and is a bundled code (per Encoder Pro). Should this be payable at all? Or is this something that should only be reported for the sake of reporting?

Cordially,

Peter Lopez, CPC-A


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