tci Part B Insider - 2010 Issue 19

Reader Questions: Face Time Is Essential to Established Patient

Question: Our practice performed a test on a patient who was referred to us by another doctor. Our specialist was not present for the test; a lab tech performed the test. Should I consider this patient an established patient?Answer: No, you should consider the patient "new" until a face-to-face encounter with your specialist occurs.If the primary physician (or another physician billing under the same group number) provided a non-face-to face service for a patient and then provided a face-to-face service within three years, you should still consider the patient to be "new" when selecting an E/M service...

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