# Admission for OB pt in labor



## t.rock.tara (Dec 15, 2009)

If our Dr. admitted another OB's patient as she was in active labor and did NOT deliver, would we be able to bill for admission?

If so, I am also having trouble finding a dx code for active labor, no problems. Thanks for your help!


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## donsqueen (Dec 15, 2009)

It is my understanding that if a patient is admitted greater than 24 hours before delivering, the admission is billable. However, I'm confused...when you say she did not deliver, are you saying she was discharged still in antepartum? If so, then I would think there is some sort of complication occuring.


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## t.rock.tara (Dec 15, 2009)

I am sorry, I meant that our Dr did admission and did not deliver patient's baby and that the patient did not receive prenatal care (other than admission) from our Dr. 

I think you may have answered my question, though. If the delivery doesn't happen within 24 hours of admission, then admission is billable? 

I thought that maybe because we were not the patient's OB Dr and because we did not do the delivery, then our admission would not be apart of the "global" care.

 Thanks for your response.


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## Lisa Bledsoe (Dec 16, 2009)

I believe that if your doctor was *on call *for the patients regular doctor who ended up doing the delivery, then your admit is not billable.


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## t.rock.tara (Dec 17, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback! Do you have any recommendations of a reference tool for OB/GYN billing as far as guidelines go? We do have the OB/GYN coding companion but I was wondering if there is a good reference tool that explains rules and regulations/guidelines to OB billing since they are pretty much a different ball game than billing for other specialties.


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## Lisa Bledsoe (Dec 18, 2009)

Tara - not only is it a different ball game than other specialties, the insurance companies have their own *different* policies.  I suggest checking the policies for each.  I know it's a lot of work, but it will save some headaches.


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