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Pulmonology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Stay Away From After-Hour Codes For Medicare Patients

Published on Mon Jul 23, 2012

Question: Our pulmonologist usually sees patients only till 6 p.m. everyday. But, on Wednesdays, our pulmonologist continues to see patients till 9 p.m. This additional working hours on Wednesdays has been advertised on our site also. Can we use after-hour codes to bill patients that our pulmonologist sees on Wednesdays beyond 6 p.m.?Maryland SubscriberAnswer: No, you cannot use after-hour codes 99050 (Services provided in the office at times other than regularly scheduled office hours, or days when the office is normally closed [e.g., holidays, Saturday or Sunday] , in addition to basic service) to report the services provided by your pulmonologist to patients seen after 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.As you have said that you have advertised on your site that your pulmonologist's office will remain open beyond 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, it will be considered as regular work hours and cannot be billed using the after-hour code.You can only consider [...]
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