ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

'Aggressive monitoring' might add digits to E/M level.Patients reporting to the ED for burn treatment almost always require a separate E/M service in addition to the treatment, which results in more deserved reimbursement for your practice. Many of these patients will receive a low-level E/M service along with a 160xx service. There are certain situations, however, in which the physician might provide a highlevel E/M in addition to burn treatment, confirms Sharon Richardson, RN, coder in the compliance office of Emergency Groups' Office in Arcadia, Calif.In addition to 16000-16030, these encounters might also include 99285 (Emergency department visit for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these 3 key components within the constraints imposed by the urgency of the patient's clinical condition and/or mental status: a comprehensive history; a comprehensive examination; and medical decision making of high complexity ...) or 99291 (Critical care, evaluation and management of the [...]