NESmith
Expert
Good Morning Does anyone know whether or not the patient can have their annual physical and the AWV in the same month? Thanks for your help.
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Wiki AWV and Annual Physical
- Thread starter NESmith
- Start date
perkins05
Expert
No, when patients become eligible for Medicare, they may receive the IPPE (Initial Preventive Physical Exam G0402-05) within 12 months of their eligibility date. Twelve months later, they are eligible for the Annual Wellness Visit, Initial (G0438). Another twelve months later (and for subsequent years), they are eligible for the Annual Wellness Visit, Subsequent (G0439).
Pam Warren
True Blue
If you're talking about a non-covered annual physical, then yes. If you're talking about the IPPE and AWV the same month, then no.
Medicare won't reimburse for the 9938x-9939x codes for routine preventive visits, so there are no CMS limitations as to when they are scheduled. Make sure the patient is aware that they will be responsible for the non-covered routine physical, and that they're not confused about the 'free' annual wellness visit. This has caused some major headaches for us.
So you can do a 99397 and AWV the same month.
Medicare won't reimburse for the 9938x-9939x codes for routine preventive visits, so there are no CMS limitations as to when they are scheduled. Make sure the patient is aware that they will be responsible for the non-covered routine physical, and that they're not confused about the 'free' annual wellness visit. This has caused some major headaches for us.
So you can do a 99397 and AWV the same month.