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Pediatric Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Count Readmission as Separate Service

Published on Thu Jul 20, 2006

Question: I discharged a patient from the hospital and readmitted him to the same hospital on the next day. Should I code for the second admission service?

Maryland Subscriber Answer: Yes. You should report the admission with 99221-99223 (Initial hospital care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient ...). A discharge service (99238-99239, Hospital discharge day management ...) ends any hospital stay, making a subsequent admission on a following service date appropriate.
 
Key: You must provide a complete history and physical on the admission date to qualify for 99221-99223. Choose the appropriate E/M level based on the key components of a history, exam and medical decision-making that you perform and document.
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