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Primary Care Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Worker Needs Occupational Vision Screening

Published on Mon Sep 15, 2003

Question: A 35-year-old firefighter comes in for his annual exam and also requires a visual function screening. How should I report the services?

Michigan Subscriber

Answer: For the vision screening, you should report 99172 (Visual function screening, automated or semi-automated bilateral quantitative determination of visual acuity, ocular alignment, color vision by pseudoisochromatic plates, and field of vision [may include all or some screening of the determination(s) for contrast sensitivity, vision under glare]).

You should also report the preventive medicine service with 99385 (Initial comprehensive preventive medicine evaluation and management of an individual ... 18-39 years) for a new patient or 99395 (Periodic comprehensive preventive medicine reevaluation and management of an individual ... 18-39 years) for an established patient. If payers reject the screening, try submitting the claim with modifier -25 appended to 99385 or 99395.
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