tci ED Coding & Reimbursement Alert - 2006 Issue 3

READER QUESTIONS: Check Time of Status Change for Observation

Question: How should I report a patient's 23-hour stay in observation? Virginia Subscriber Answer: How you-ll report a 23-hour observation stay depends on when the patient was admitted and discharged. Most of the time, the admission occurs on the same calendar day as the emergency department service, which means you-ll report a code from the 99218-99220 series (Initial observation care). When the doctor discharges the patient the following day, you-ll report 99217 (Observation care discharge day management). Remember that this code includes all of the evaluations from that calendar day, as well as all the work required to...

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