Wiki Need help with E/M GUIDELINES

[second to none]

HI EVERYONE!

Can someone explain the difference between Hospital Discharge Services codes, Observation care Discharge Services codes and Observation or inpatient care services including admission and discharge services codes.

I know that the observation care discharge services codes are used for different day discharge and observation or inpatient care services(including admission and discharge services) is used on the same day discharge. So when can we use Hospital discharge services code. I am not a coder. I am taking the CPC exam on Saturday so need help for exam.
Thank you.

 

[sullivak]

To use observation codes - patient must be designated as "observation status" by the hospital. Most inpatient codes require "inpatient status" by the hospital.

Admit and Discharge on the same day for observation OR inpatient status - most commonly used for observation. It's unusual for a patient to be admitted as an inpatient and discharged the same day, but it does happen.
99234-99236
Observation codes-
Admit to observation - MUST be observation status and not discharged on the same day.
99218-99220
Subsequent observation care - MUST be observation status and on a date of service different from the admit date or discharge date.
99224-99226
Discharge from observation - MUST be observation status and not discharged on the same day as admission.
99217
----
Inpatient codes -
Initial hospital care - MUST be inpatient status, not used if discharged on the same day (unusual).
99221-99223
Subsequent hospital care -
99231-99233
Hospital discharge - MUST be inpatient status
99238-99239
I hope this helps!