General Surgery Coding Alert - 2021 Issue 2
Reader Question: Check DOS for Late December/Early January E/M Visits
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Article Overview
This Q&A article addresses a common coding scenario involving an office or other outpatient E/M visit near the year-end transition. It is aimed at coders and billing staff who need to understand how the date of service affects code selection when guidance changes between 2020 and 2021. The article compares the general E/M framework in the two time periods and highlights why the same encounter may be reported differently depending on when it occurred.
Why This Topic Matters
Year-end E/M transitions can change which office/outpatient visit code applies to the same clinical encounter. Correctly tying reporting to the date of service helps avoid selecting a code under the wrong year’s rules.
What You Will Learn
- How the date of service can affect office and outpatient E/M reporting
- Why year-to-year E/M changes matter for established-patient visits
- How the article frames the 2020 versus 2021 approach to the same encounter
- What general considerations to review when coding a brief office E/M service near a rule change
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- Compliance personnel
- Practice managers
Codes Discussed
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