Pediatric Coding Alert

Question: Our coders recommend that we report a newborn weight check using V20.32 (Health supervision for newborn 8 to 28 days old). These visits consist of a follow up weight check and discussion about feeds only. This is not a full well child check. These same babies will have a preventive visit at three days, two weeks, and at one and two months. How should we code these visits?

Answer: As you describe the newborn weight check, it sounds like it is an additional visit to supplement those standard preventive medicine visits at 3 days, 2 weeks, one month and two months—not taking the place of any of those visits. This indicates that you are treating newborns that have specific concerns such as feeding, poor weight gain, etc. 

You’ll therefore report the visits using the appropriate E/M code (99212-99214) along with the specific diagnoses codes for the conditions that prompted the weight checks. You will select the appropriate E/M code based on the standard criteria of history, exam and medical decision-making, or based on time if meeting that coding requirement.