Understanding E/M: Navigate the new/established patient distinction during COVID-19

Why This Topic Matters

Properly understanding patient status rules during the public health emergency helped practices apply telehealth E/M policies consistently and avoid internal or audit confusion after temporary flexibilities changed.

Article Sections

1. CMS definition of new patient status

   Introduces the CMS framework for distinguishing new patients from established patients and cites the policy source referenced in the article.

2. Temporary flexibility during the PHE

   Summarizes the article’s discussion of temporary enforcement discretion during the COVID-19 public health emergency and its effect on certain virtual services.

3. Examples of established patient specific codes

   Presents examples of service categories discussed in the article that are tied to established-patient reporting conventions.

4. Internal claim tracking during the PHE

   Describes the article’s suggestion about internal claim identification and why practices might use a temporary tracking approach.

5. New/established matters for telehealth

   Explains the article’s focus on patient status considerations for telehealth reporting across different categories of E/M services.

6. Telehealth coverage and PHE end considerations

   Notes the article’s discussion of how telehealth coverage and related requirements change when the public health emergency ends.