New for 2020: Suite of CPT codes cover digital, patient-initiated E/M services

Why This Topic Matters

It helps coders, auditors, and clinical documentation teams understand a new category of CPT reporting that affects how digital patient communications are classified and documented.

Article Sections

1. New digital E/M services effective Jan. 1, 2020

   Introduces the new patient-initiated digital E/M service category and notes the effective date and general service setting.

2. How the services are initiated and who may report them

   Describes the communication channels used for these services and the patient eligibility and provider scope considerations discussed in the article.

3. Shore up your documentation

   Reviews the documentation themes associated with the new digital E/M services, including assessment, management, and time reporting concepts.

4. Additional codes and considerations

   Covers related reporting considerations for communications that do not meet the service criteria and the parallel code family for qualified non-physician professionals.

5. Coding case scenario

   Presents a sample scenario used to illustrate application of the new digital E/M coding concepts.