Wiki Coverage for other physicians patients

[staticsis2]

Can someone please anwer this question for us. Am I correct in that if our doctor is asked to cover for another practice's patients over a weekend. If we have never seen that patient we can bill 99222-99223 (even if is not the intital date of hosptial admission) but the fact that the patient is in house and new to our practice?

Thank you for your help.

 

[mitchellde]

No of you are covering for a physician per an agreement you will use the same set of codes the physician you are covering for would use. This is not the same as a consult.

 

[staticsis2]

So in other words we would bill a follow up, when we have never seen this patient before?

 

[mitchellde]

yes that is exactly what you have to do, this is not an initial inpatient visit for this patient, while it may be for your doc it is not from the patient perspective. You were not consulted in for a new problem. You are merely continuing care for the treating provider, so it is a follow up visit.