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General Surgery Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Charge Outpatient Consult for Observation

Published on Wed Mar 09, 2005

Question: Another doctor asked my surgeon for a consult with a patient who had been admitted for an observation stay. Should I use 99218-99220?


New Hampshire Subscriber


Answer: Because your surgeon is involved with the patient in a consultative capacity, you should report his services with the appropriate outpatient consultation code (99241-99245).

If your doctor admits the patient to the hospital, however, you should more accurately report his service with the applicable hospital admission code (99221-99223).

Only one physician can bill the observation admit codes (99218-99220, Initial observation care, per day ...) per observation stay.
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