E/M Coding Alert - 2017 Issue 4
Reader Question: You Have to Admit It, You Need an Admission Order to Report Codes 99218-99220
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Article Overview
This article addresses a reader scenario involving emergency medicine, observation care, and hospital admission billing. It explains the distinction between the decision to admit and the discharge from observation, and discusses how documentation and service timing affect reporting for observation and discharge-related services. The content is aimed at coders, billers, and physicians working with emergency department and hospital observation workflows.
Why This Topic Matters
Observation-to-inpatient transitions can be difficult to code correctly, especially when multiple physicians are involved and care changes hands during the stay. Understanding the article helps readers identify the relevant service categories and documentation themes without relying on the premium explanation.
What You Will Learn
- How observation care is discussed in the context of a later hospital admission
- Why transfer of care matters when an observation stay ends
- How discharge-day documentation themes are addressed in relation to observation and hospital services
- How the article frames timing across calendar days in a transitional care scenario
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Medical billers
- Emergency department staff
- Hospital outpatient coders
- Physicians involved in observation or admission workflows
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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