

Would it be appropriate to bill a higher-level established outpatient code, such as a 99213 or 99214, using medical-necessity criteria? A: According to Medicare guidelines, only the physician or group that admits a patient to observation can use observation codes. Who can bill subsequent observation codes? The Current Procedural Terminology ( CPT) code 99236 as maintained by American Medical Association, is a medical procedural code under the range - Observation or Inpatient Care Services (Including Admission and Discharge Services). Subsequently, question is, what is procedure code 99236?

Ambulatory EEG can be utilized in the differential diagnosis of transient ischemic attacks if not elucidated by conventional studies and syncope. CPT codes 99234-99236, observation or inpatient care, are used when the patient is placed in observation status or admitted to inpatient status and then discharged on the same date.Īdditionally, how do you bill an observation hour? For patients in observation more than 48 hours, the physician of record would bill an initial observation care code (99218–99220), a subsequent observation care code for the appropriate number of days (99224–99226) and the observation discharge code (99217), as long as the discharge occurs on a separate calendar day. Ambulatory EEG monitoring is a diagnostic procedure for patients in whom a seizure diathesis is suspected but not defined by history, physical or resting EEG. 23-hour observation stay According to CPT, 99218–99220 plus 99217 are for admission and discharge on two separates dates of service, and 99234–99236 are for admission and discharge on the same date of service.Ĭonsequently, what is the CPT code for observation?ĬPT codes 99218-99220, initial observation care, describe physician visits during a patient's stay in observation status.
