Practice Management Alert

Question: My physician was the primary care physician for a baby who was born to a mother who was addicted to drugs. She was on methadone, and as a result the baby had to stay in the hospital for five weeks on a withdrawal program. How should we bill for the 42-day daily inpatient check my doctor performed? Oregon Subscriber Answer: You should bill each day's care using two sets of codes: one for the newborn care (through the 28th day) and one for the infant care (29th day through the 41st day). If the newborn, especially in the early period, required intensive observation and frequent interventions, you should code Initial and Continuing Intensive Care Services (99477-99480) on days 1-28. On day 1, you would use 99477 (Initial hospital care, for the evaluation and management of the neonate, 28 days of age or less, who requires intensive observation, frequent interventions, [...]