Q&A: Billing an office visit after decision for surgery comes down to medical necessity

Question: I would like an opinion on the following scenario:

A patient is diagnosed with a condition requiring surgical intervention. During the initial visit, the physician evaluates the case, recommends an appropriate surgical procedure, and initiates necessary preoperative steps, including ordering additional imaging, tests, lab work, and scheduling the operating room within the next 90 days.
As the surgery date approaches, the patient has a follow-up appointment with the same surgeon one or two weeks before the scheduled procedure. During this visit, the physician reviews any outstanding test results, addresses the patient and family’s concerns, discusses the risks, benefits, and post-surgical care, and ultimately the patient decides to proceed with surgery and a formal consent for the surgery is obtained.

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