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Otolaryngology Coding Alert

E/M:

Invite Audits if You Confuse New and Established Patient E/Ms

Published on Thu Apr 08, 2010

Remember, what used to be a consultation is now likely a 99201-99215 service.Medicare's deletion of consultation codes means that coders will have to answer the new versus established patient question more often than before. Answering incorrectly could send auditors calling. Nail the patient's status every time by following this expert advice on new and established patients. Ask 3-Year Question FirstIf your patient has had a face-to-face service with the otolaryngologist (or another physician with the same specialty credentials in your group) within the last three years, then the patient is established, confirms Kami Culb, office coordinator at Frederick Memorial Hospital Immediate Care in Maryland.Example: A patient reports to the otolaryngologist for an E/M service that included documentation of a detailed history, detailed exam, and low complexity medical decision making on June 20, 2010. The patient's record indicates that she received a face-to-face E/M service from the otolaryngologist on June 19, [...]
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