decisionhealth Newsletters, Coder Pink Sheets - 2007 Issue 8 (August)
Billing E/M with time as main factor can boost payment
Subscribe or sign in to view the full article.
Article Overview
This article is for general surgeons, coders, and billing staff who need to understand when time may be used in evaluation and management reporting. It covers the role of counseling and care coordination, documentation expectations, office and inpatient setting differences, and cautionary points about time-based reporting in routine and special visits. The discussion is centered on CPT-based E/M coding and includes references to common office visit levels and related payment considerations.
Why This Topic Matters
Accurate use of time-based E/M reporting can affect reimbursement, documentation quality, and compliance. The article helps readers recognize when time may be relevant, when it is not, and why careful charting matters for payer review.
Article Sections
-
Introduction
Introduces the use of time in evaluation and management reporting and explains why it may be relevant for surgical practices.
-
Why billing by time often is the best path
Summarizes the general CPT framework for when time may become the controlling factor in an encounter and notes the documentation expectations involved.
-
Document regular components of E/M service for total time
Discusses the need to record overall visit time and related encounter components so that time-based reporting can be supported in the record.
-
Careful about over usage
Addresses caution around routine reliance on time-based reporting and highlights general setting-based considerations.
-
Guidelines for billing using time
Presents a concise summary of the major time-based reporting considerations covered in the article.
-
Example of visit billed using time
Provides a broad clinical scenario illustrating how the article applies time-based reporting concepts in practice.
What You Will Learn
- How time can factor into evaluation and management reporting
- What kinds of encounters may involve counseling or care coordination
- What documentation elements support time-based reporting
- How office and inpatient settings differ in relation to time
- Why routine use of time-based reporting may raise compliance concerns
Who Should Read This
- General surgeons
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- Practice managers
- Compliance staff
Codes Discussed
Modifiers Discussed
Subscribe or sign in to view the full article.
Quick, Current, Complete - www.findacode.com