Wiki Same day admit/discharge

[tfischer]

A physician within our hospitalist group admits a patient to observation. On the same day, the patient is being discharged by another physician not in our group. The hospitalist has already billed the Observation admission code 99218-99220. Can the discharging physician bill the observation discharge code 99217 even though it's same day admit/discharge?

Thanks,

 

[efrohna]

Tiffany,
When you say "not in your group" are you saying that other physician is under a different tax id #?

 

[tfischer]

I'm sorry. Yes, the physician is in a different Tax ID #.

 

[efrohna]

I would code the service that your provider performed, in your instance it is the initial observation code.

I looked at the Chapter 12 Medicare Claims Processing Manual and the Observation section did not have a scenario similar to yours. However, if the other physician was in your same group, then you would want to report the Same Day Observation & Discharge code.

I hope this helps?

 

[clg23]

same day admit/discharge

May i suggest looking at the cpt book. if you look up 99217-read the heading above it it will tell you to go to section 99234 or 99236 to answer your question.

i hope this helps.