decisionhealth Newsletters, Answer Books - 2009 Issue 2 (February)
Special Services / After-hours care
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Article Overview
This article explains the scope of CPT special services related to after-hours and emergency care. It is aimed at coding professionals, billers, and practice staff who need to understand when these CPT service categories are discussed, how they relate to office scheduling and out-of-office situations, and why payer reimbursement can be variable. The article also places these services in the context of changes in care delivery and the rise of urgent care centers.
Why This Topic Matters
After-hours and special services are often overlooked in routine office coding even though they may accompany otherwise billable encounters. Understanding the article helps practices identify when these CPT categories are being discussed and why reimbursement handling may differ across payers.
Article Sections
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After-hours care and special services
Introduces the CPT special services topic and discusses general after-hours, unusual-hours, out-of-office, and emergency-related office scenarios. Also notes broad payer and practice-environment considerations.
What You Will Learn
- How the article frames CPT special services related to after-hours care
- Which broad care-setting situations are discussed in relation to special services
- Why reimbursement for these services may vary across payers
- How changes in patient access settings affect the relevance of these services
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- Practice managers
- Physician office staff
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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