decisionhealth Newsletters, Coder Pink Sheets - 2020 Issue 6 (June)
Telehealth E/M: CPT-listed times are OK for telehealth E/M code selection, CMS says
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Article Overview
This article explains a CMS interim final rule issued during the COVID-19 public health emergency that addressed telehealth office/outpatient E/M code selection based on time. It is relevant to coders, billing staff, and clinicians working with evaluation and management services, especially when comparing CMS timing data with CPT manual times. The article also highlights the practical impact of the guidance on common office visit code levels and summarizes the timing information discussed in the source.
Why This Topic Matters
Accurate telehealth E/M leveling affects billing consistency and reduces confusion when multiple timing references are available. The article helps readers understand the scope of CMS’s temporary guidance and why it mattered to practices coding telehealth visits during the PHE.
Article Sections
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CMS telehealth E/M time-based guidance during the PHE
Overview of CMS’s temporary telehealth E/M guidance issued in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The section discusses how time-based leveling was addressed for office/outpatient E/M services.
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Comparison of CPT manual times and CMS typical times
Discussion of the timing references referenced in the article and the differences between them. The section includes a comparison of office visit code-level timing information and the general effect on established and new patient visits.
What You Will Learn
- How CMS addressed time-based telehealth E/M level selection during the COVID-19 public health emergency
- Why timing references from different sources created confusion for practices
- How the article compares CMS timing data with CPT manual times for office/outpatient E/M visits
- Which general visit categories were discussed in the timing comparison
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- Physicians and other clinicians
- Compliance teams
- Practice managers
Codes Discussed
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