Primary Care Coding Alert

Question: A patient came in for an obstetric revisit and received a flu shot. What is the correct way to bill the visit and the flu shot on the same encounter?


Tennessee Subscriber
 

Answer: Because the patient is presenting for the antepartum visit, you would not normally bill it separately from the ob global period. But in any case, the flu shot is not related to routine antepartum care, so you may code it separately.

You would report 90471 (Immunization administration [includes percutaneous, intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular injections]; one vaccine [single or combination vaccine/toxoid]) for the injection.

Report either 90656 (Influenza virus vaccine, split virus, preservative free, for use in individuals 3 years and above, for intramuscular use) or 90658 (Influenza virus vaccine, split virus, for use in individuals 3 years and above, for intramuscular use) for the vaccine, depending on the type of influenza vaccine administered.