Wiki Counseling codes vs E/M codes

[Lynnedoescoding]

If a physician is seeing a patient 20 plus times annually for surveillance of a eating disorder and no physical exam is being documented is it appropriate to code a 99212? The time spent is included in the note, usually 15 minutes. Or would preventative counseling codes 99401-99404 be more applicable?

Thanks for feedback,
Lynne

 

[mitchellde]

It depends on what is being documented. You cannot just bill a level for the sake of billing something, you must meet the criteria for the level, even a counsel level has criteria. So it will depend on whether your note meets the criteria for a 99212 or other level or if you meet the criteria for counseling service.