Admit Documentation

The Hospitalist. 2010 March;2010(03):

March 1, 2010 | The Hospitalist

Some payors have more specific references to the situation and allow for options. Two options exist for coding services that do not meet the work and/or medical necessity requirements of 99221-99223: report an unlisted E&M service (99499); or report a subsequent hospital care code (99231-99233) that appropriately reflects physician work and medical necessity for the service, and avoids mandatory medical record submission and manual medical review.4

In fact, Medicare Administrator Contractor TrailBlazer Health’s Web site (www.trailblazerhealth.com) offers guidance to physicians who are unsure if subsequent hospital care is an appropriate choice for this dilemma: “TrailBlazer recognizes provider reluctance to miscode initial hospital care as subsequent hospital care. However, doing so is preferable in that it allows Medicare to process and pay the claims much more efficiently. For those concerned about miscoding these services, please understand that TrailBlazer will not find fault with providers who choose this option when records appropriately demonstrate the work and medical necessity of the subsequent code chosen.”4 TH

Carol Pohlig is a billing and coding expert with the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia. She also is faculty for SHM’s inpatient coding course.

References

CMS announces payment, policy changes for physicians services to Medicare beneficiaries in 2010. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Web site. Available at: www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/ press/release.asp?Counter=3539&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=1%2C+2%2C+3%2C+4%2C+5&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&year=&desc=&cboOrder=date. Accessed Nov. 12, 2009.
Revisions to Consultation Services Payment Policy. Medicare Learning Network Web site. Available at: www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/ MM6740.pdf. Accessed Jan. 16, 2010.
Medicare Claims Processing Manual: Chapter 12, Section 30.6.5. CMS Web site. Available at: www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/downloads/clm104c12.pdf. Accessed Jan. 16, 2010.
Update-evaluation and management services formerly coded as consultations. Trailblazer Health Enterprises Web site. Available at: www.trailblazerhealth.com/Tools/Notices.aspx?DomainID=1. Accessed Jan. 17, 2010.
Beebe M, Dalton J, Espronceda M, Evans D, Glenn R. Current Procedural Terminology Professional Edition. Chicago: American Medical Association Press; 2009;14-15.

Codes of the Month: Initial Hospital Care

99221: Initial hospital care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these three key components:5

Detailed or comprehensive history;
Detailed or comprehensive examination; and
Medical decision-making that is straightforward or of low complexity.

Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient’s and/or family’s needs. Usually, the problem(s) requiring admission is of low severity. Physicians typically spend 30 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

99222: Initial hospital care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these three key components:5

Comprehensive history;
Comprehensive examination; and
Medical decision-making of moderate complexity.

Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient’s and/or family’s needs. Usually, the problem(s) requiring admission is of moderate severity. Physicians typically spend 50 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

99223: Initial hospital care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these three key components:5

Comprehensive history;
Comprehensive examination; and
Medical decision-making of high complexity.

Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient’s and/or family’s needs. Usually, the problem(s) requiring admission is of high severity. Physicians typically spend 70 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

Note: These codes are used for new or established patients (e.g., a patient who has received face-to-face services from a physician or someone from the physician’s group within the past three years). The physician does not have to spend the associated “typical” visit time with the patient in order to report an initial hospital-care code. Time is only considered when more than 50% of the total visit time is spent counseling or coordinating patient care. See Section 30.6.1C, www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/downloads/clm104c12.pdf, for more information about reporting visit level based on time.—CP