Wiki inpatient consult question

[matjeal]

I have a question regarding how to code for an inpatient visit from a physician that would have previously been billed as an inpatient consult 99251 or 99252. With Medicare and other payers no longer paying for consult codes, what code would these two crosswalk to? The only option that I am seeing is 99221 or 99231, however, my doctor has not documented to allow me to code this level. We were instructed by Medicare to bill 99499, but we have to appeal for payment every time. Other payers tell us to default to regular
E & M code range 99203-99215 but they are not for inpatient. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you J. Matthews

 

[Treetoad]

For inpatient services which under previous guidelines would have been charged as 99251 or 99252, we've been instructed to charge 99231-99233---depending upon documentation. It's difficult, since there are 5 consultation levels and only 3 initial hospital visit levels. The outpatient E&M levels won't work for inpatient services.