Medical Billing Forum
Coding => Coding => : Debbie G April 05, 2013, 11:58:18 AM
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Would appreciate ya'lls opinion on this scenario:
PCP refers patient to Nephrologist for elevated BUN. Nephrologist visits and exams patient and orders more labs and renal ultrasound. Patient is to return in 2 weeks to discuss test results and plan. This is a patient with commercial insurance.
Question--would you consider the initial visit a consult or new patient visit? Nephrologist does not know until all test results are back if he will need to continue to see this patient.
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If the patient was examined, and it meets e/m code guidelines, it's a new patient. It's most likely a 99214 due to complexity.
A consult would be discussion only.