Primary Care Coding Alert

Question: When a patient drops off a urine sample and doesn't see a nurse, may I report 99211?

Vermont Subscriber Answer: Don't bill 99211 unless the nurse performs a service, such as taking the patient's blood pressure or checking a purified protein derivative tuberculosis test. So, for a urine drop-off in which the nurse performs no service, you should not report 99211 (Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient ... typically, 5 minutes are spent performing or supervising these services).