2009 E/M changes not as sweeping as anticipated

Why This Topic Matters

Understanding the 2009 CPT E/M revisions helps practices recognize which changes are substantive and which are mainly renumbering or clarification. The article is especially useful for teams that report prolonged services in inpatient and outpatient settings and need to stay aligned with payer expectations.

Article Sections

1. Overview of CPT 2009 E/M changes

   A general summary of the kinds of evaluation and management updates discussed in CPT 2009 and the areas that were not the primary focus for some specialties.

2. Prolonged services revisions

   Discussion of the prolonged services portion of the E/M section and the related clarification affecting inpatient and outpatient reporting terminology.

3. Revised guidance language for prolonged services

   A closer look at the updated guideline language associated with the prolonged services codes and how the revisions are framed in the article.

4. Implications for inpatient reporting

   Commentary on why the inpatient-related update is considered significant and how practices may need to address the change with payers.

5. Modifier update

   A brief note on the CPT revision that removes a modifier associated with prolonged services and the stated reason for that deletion.