tci ED Coding & Reimbursement Alert - 2008 Issue 2

Reader Questions: Boost E/M Level When Staff Interprets

Question: We are a very busy ED, and several physicians here do not speak Spanish. We use our front office staff, who are not professional licensed translators, to translate when necessary. When a physician uses one of them to interpret during a visit, can we code a higher level of care? Virginia Subscriber Answer: Yes, you can. Because there is no specific code for interpretive services, no rules exist regarding who counts as an interpreter. The physician may instead select a higher-level service based on: - the history and medical decision-making's added complexity. Additional history questions relating to cultural...

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