AMA CPT® Assistant - 1999 Issue 1 (January)
Evaluation and Management, 99238, 99239 (Q&A) (January 1999)
January 1999 page 10e Coding Consultation Evaluation and Management, 99238, 99239 (Q&A) Question If my physician saw a patient in the hospital and performed a subsequent hospital visit, and then discharged the patient from the hospital later that same day, could he report both the subsequent hospital visit and the hospital discharge code? AMA Comment The hospital discharge day codes 99238 and 99239 include all the E/M services performed on the day of discharge. Therefore, it is not appropriate to separately report a subsequent hospital care code ( 99231 - 99233 ) if a hospital care discharge service...
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Article Overview
This article presents an AMA CPT Assistant question-and-answer item focused on inpatient evaluation and management coding for hospital discharge-day services. It is useful for coders, billers, and compliance staff who need to understand how the article frames same-day hospital service reporting in the context of CPT guidance.
Why This Topic Matters
Hospital E/M reporting can affect claim accuracy and compliance, especially when more than one inpatient service occurs on the discharge date. This Q&A summarizes the AMA’s guidance in a way that helps readers assess whether the article applies to their inpatient coding workflow.
What You Will Learn
- How the article frames same-day inpatient evaluation and management reporting
- What general topic the AMA addresses regarding hospital discharge-day coding
- How the guidance is positioned within CPT Assistant Q&A format
- Why inpatient discharge-day service reporting is a common compliance concern
Who Should Read This
- Professional medical coders
- Hospital billing staff
- Compliance professionals
- Physician documentation and coding teams
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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