Wiki Follow-up phone call by physician, post procedure

[Jim Pawloski]

Hello everybody,
I need a opinion on this.

The radiologists that I work for, want to bill for calling patients on the phone, following up on a procedure. Is this follow-up phone call a billable procedure, i.e E&M?

Thanks,
Jim Pawloski, CIRCC

 

[cmcgarry]

There are CPT codes for telephone calls between patient and physician (99441-99443 and between patient and NPP (98966-98968). However, the guidelines for reporting these services clearly states "if the telephone call refers to an E/M service performed and reported by the physician within the previous seven days (either physician requested or unsolicted patient follow-up) or within the postoperative period of the previously completed procedure, then the service(s) are considered part of that previous E/M service or procedure." Most insurance companies will not pay for these even if not within seven days of a previous service. The health system I work for considers calling a patient after a procedure a standard of care and never charges for it.

Hope this helps,

 

[Jim Pawloski]

There are CPT codes for telephone calls between patient and physician (99441-99443 and between patient and NPP (98966-98968). However, the guidelines for reporting these services clearly states "if the telephone call refers to an E/M service performed and reported by the physician within the previous seven days (either physician requested or unsolicted patient follow-up) or within the postoperative period of the previously completed procedure, then the service(s) are considered part of that previous E/M service or procedure." Most insurance companies will not pay for these even if not within seven days of a previous service. The health system I work for considers calling a patient after a procedure a standard of care and never charges for it.

Hope this helps,

Thank you for the quick response. This does help because my supervisor was asking about charging for this phone call, in a round about way. So I figured this was the best place to ask.

Thanks again,
Jim Pawloski, CIRCC