Author Topic: doctor spending extra time with patient  (Read 2611 times)

ZenMedicalservices

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doctor spending extra time with patient
« on: March 29, 2013, 04:19:02 AM »
Hello Experts,

I currently bill for a cardiologist. When she visits patients in the hospital the office/I bill for her hospital visits.
She was asking me if we can bill for extended conversations with patients. Some patients are such that they ask many questions and take up lot of her time ( up to an hour). She wanted to find out if we can bill for that extra time?

Any ideas?

thank you,
Zen

davidharvey

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Re: doctor spending extra time with patient
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2013, 09:34:28 AM »
If the patient have some queries then it become doctor's duty to answer the all questions.  But you can do one thing for stander queries, you can hire a person so that before asking all questions from doctor directly. Patients ask regular questions from that person. It will be helpful and also time saving.

DMK

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Re: doctor spending extra time with patient
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2013, 01:21:56 PM »
Code the appropriate E/M service (which is the first 30 minutes) then add

99354 for extended face-to-face (up to 1 hour) in an outpatient situation, 99355 is an additional 30 minutes AFTER the 99354

99356 is for an inpatient situation (up to 1 hour) 99357 for additional 30 minutes.

ZenMedicalservices

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Re: doctor spending extra time with patient
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2013, 01:54:11 PM »
Wonderful.....
Appreciate your quick responses DMK and DavidHarvey.
Will check with doctor and start using it.
Any modifier to be used?

DMK

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Re: doctor spending extra time with patient
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2013, 02:42:14 PM »
No modifier is necessary as the code is self-explanatory.  However, if the E/M is provided with billable services, the E/M code would need -25 to show a separate documented E/M.

Medical Billing Forum

Re: doctor spending extra time with patient
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2013, 02:42:14 PM »

ZenMedicalservices

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Re: doctor spending extra time with patient
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2013, 04:36:35 PM »
Thank you very much DMK

Medical Billing Forum

Re: doctor spending extra time with patient
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2013, 04:36:35 PM »