tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2004 Issue 2

Reader Question: Select 99220 and 99217 for Multiday Observation

Question: Our surgeon treated a patient in the emergency department, and he admitted the patient to observation. He monitored the patient beginning in the later afternoon and then all night. The next day, a consulting physician admitted the patient to inpatient status. Should we code 99220 as well as 99217?Iowa Subscriber Answer: Technically, the patient's observation stay spans two calendar days, so you would use 99220 (Initial observation care) for the first day. For the second day, you might be able to report 99217 (Observation care discharge). The services you provide for 99217 include a final exam...

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