decisionhealth Newsletters, Answer Books - 2010 Issue 2 (February)
Answer_Book / Prolonged_Services / Take a second look at prolonged services now that consults are gone
Subscribe or sign in to view the full article.
Article Overview
This article discusses how specialists may approach prolonged services on referral visits in the post-consultation-code environment. It is aimed at coding and billing professionals, specialty practices, and physicians who document and bill time-based E/M services, especially for counseling-heavy encounters. The article covers general timing concepts, documentation considerations, and cautions about overuse under Medicare-related policies and CPT time conventions.
Why This Topic Matters
It matters because the shift away from payable consultation codes can change reimbursement on referral visits, and accurate use of prolonged services may affect both payment and audit risk.
What You Will Learn
- How prolonged services relate to counseling-heavy referral visits
- Why documentation quality matters for time-based E/M billing
- What general timing concepts are relevant when consult codes are no longer used
- Why excessive or routine use of prolonged services can draw audit attention
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- Physicians
- Specialty practice managers
Codes Discussed
Subscribe or sign in to view the full article.
Quick, Current, Complete - www.findacode.com