Question: How should we code for a follow-up visit for a 2-week-old baby? We have been using the worried well V65.5 code. However, the insurance companies are not paying, or, if they do pay, this counts as one of the check-ups for the baby. This makes the parents furious because it results in one non-payment on a check-up later in the first year of life.
Idaho Subscriber
Some practices have trouble with reimbursement on a three- or four-day visit for newborns discharged 24 hours after birth. In this case, it is recommended that you use office-visit codes 99212-99215 for this three- or four-day visit. Use any problems the infant has as the diagnosis. If the child is well, use V29.8 (observation and evaluation of newborns and infants for suspected condition not found; observation for other specified suspected condition) and do not use V20.2. In most cases, the other condition you are looking for is jaundice. You can use this same method for the two-week visit if necessary.