Pulmonology Coding Alert
E/M Counseling Services
Georgia Subscriber
Answer: CPT code 90846 (family psychotherapy [without the patient present]) is specific to psychiatric services and is inappropriate in the situation you presented.
For a new or established patient, the CPT states that consultation codes 99241-99245 are used to report consultations provided in the physicians office or in an outpatient or other ambulatory facility, including hospital observation services, home services, domiciliary and rest home. These consultation codes are based on time spent during a face-to-face encounter between the physician and the patient, or with the patients family at some point during the patients service date. Use the documented time to determine the level of service and report the appropriate evaluation and management (E/M) code (99241-99245).
Editors note: Susan Callaway-Stradley, CPC, CSS-P,an independent coding consultant and educator in North Augusta, S.C., answered these questions.
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