Wiki Hospital Consult Coding

[suebeecar]

What is the amount of time allowed between billing 99221-3 for the same doc before MCR will pay for both? I have heard 7 days, 10 days and 2 weeks, but can't find the answer anywhere.

 

[thomas7331]

I'm not aware of any time frame for these codes - they would be billed only once per admission to an inpatient stay and not used again by that provider during that stay. But if the patient was discharged and readmitted for another separate stay, the provider could use another initial care code for the new admission. My understanding is that it's based on the stay, not on any time allowance.