Wiki Is there a limit on postpartum visits?

[Kirstyn20]

I have a pt who we were doing full ob care for. She ended up with an emergency c section out of state. She came to us shortly after returning home and we checked her incision and did a quick exam. She was told to come back in 5 weeks for her normal 6 week check up. How do I bill the two visits? Since the first visit was technically not her normal postpartum visit, how should that one be billed? Thanks!

 

[mgsherimo87]

I've had the same situation in the past. I've billed out an office visit for the initial check after delivery and then I bill out the postpartum care. Depending on the payer's policy and how the delivering dr billed their charges would determine the route in which you can code/bill. And as far as I know there is not limit on the # of postpartum visits per cpt guidelines, but I do not believe that insurance companies will pay for more than just one of the 59430. Hope that helped.

 

[aharapat913]

We also bill the 59430 if we did not deliver the baby, but we do not add an office visit. I also do not think there is a limit on the # of postpartum visits, as long as the visits are related to her pregnancy. We have a dummy code of PP (postpartum) with a zero charge.

 

[Kirstyn20]

Thanks ladies! I was thinking of an e/m for the initial incision check visit and the 59430 for the actual postpartum visit.

 

[gena379]

incision check is part of postpartum. if you are going to bill 59430 that implies that you did all of her post partum care- including the incision check. You should not bill the e/m.