Wiki Prolonged Service

tfischer

Guru
Messages
100
Location
Warsaw, OH
Best answers
0
I have a question in regards to the appropriate use of Prolonged Service codes. Our group has a hospitalist that may not get around to seeing a patient in the hospital for an initial care visit until after midnight. Eight hours later, another one of our hospitalist will round on the same patient. The second visit falls on the same date-of-service as the initial care visit, because the patient was admitted after midnight. Is it appropriate to bill the inpatient initial care codes (99221-99223) for the admitting physician, and bill a prolonged service code for the second physician, as long as he documents the time? Or what is your recommendations?

Thank you,
 
Top