Wiki discharge or sub?

[treinemer]

I am an outpatient coder and code for our hospitalists service at the hospital.

I have a patient that is inpatient under the hospitalist service for UTI with sepsis, also being followed by the hospitals psych doctors during the same admission for paranoid schizophrenia with delusions.

The patient was followed by by the hospitalists for 5 days and discharged by the hospitalist on the 5th day to the psychiatric ward. The psychiatric dept saw the patient for the same 5 days plus an additional 9 days after discharge by the hospitalist.

My question is can I bill a 99239 (45 minutes for discharge services) for the discharge by the hospitalist or do I have to bill a 99233 because the patient was transferred to the psych ward in the same hospital?

Thanks!

 

[MCCONKEYT]

Discharge 99239 vs Subsequent 99232

Did you get a reply on this? I have similar issue with a patient that was inpatient, went to inpatient rehab facility and then back to inpatient. I am billing the rehab doctor's professional fees. He gave me a 99239 and 99232 superbill. Can't do both but I am thinking I need to go with 99232. Would you let me know if you hear anything on this? I know it is kinda old. terim3006@centurylink.net

 

[RILEY1959]

check with your hosiptal to see what the patients disposition was when they were transferred to Psche/rehab. Many hospitals consider this 'transfer' a discharge from the main hospital and then a readmit to the psche or rehab part of the hospital even though it is technically in the same building it is considered a discharge and readmit.