What is an example of a 99205 patient?

Asked by: Zaria Buckridge  |  Last update: September 1, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (41 votes)

High complexity medical decision making: Codes 99205 and 99215 include one or more chronic illnesses with a severe exacerbation, progression, or side effects of treatment, or one acute or chronic illness or injury that poses a threat to life or bodily function.

What qualifies as a 99205?

99205 Description: Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and high medical decision making.

What type of diagnoses are seen in level 99205?

CPT code 99205 is a high-level evaluation and management code used for new patients with comprehensive history, examination, and high medical decision-making. It is used for patients with acute or chronic conditions that pose an immediate threat to life or physical function.

How many minutes is 99205?

You can code based on MDM or time thanks to the changes to E/M coding in 2021, which took out the requirements of typical face-to-face patient visits. A single encounter of 60-74 minutes of total time on the visit date is required to code 99205.

What is the difference between 99205 and 99215?

Another important difference between the codes is that the new patient codes (99201–99205) require that all three key components (history, exam and medical decision making) be satisfied, while the established patient codes (99211–99215) require that only two of the three key components be satisfied.

What is a level 5 office / outpatient visit in medical coding? 99215 & 99205 explained.

22 related questions found

What is the level of service criteria?

Level of service (LOS) is a term used to qualitatively describe the operating conditions of a roadway based on factors such as speed, travel time, maneuverability, delay, and safety.

What pays more, 99205 or 90792?

CPT® 2024 American Medical Association.

A level-four or a level-five new patient encounter will pay out higher than 90792. A level-four new patient non-facility code (99204) will pay out approximately $166.22 while a claim for 99205 will fetch $207.06.

Can 99205 be used for telehealth?

Office visit evaluation and management services (CPT codes 99202-99205, 99211-99215) furnished using audio-video telecommunications technology are reported using the same CPT codes as you would have had the visit been conducted in-person.

What is an example of outpatient coding?

A simple example of outpatient coding is when a new patient visits the physician's office with an established diagnosis, such as high blood pressure. Here, the specific CPT code describing this type of encounter will be used for reimbursement.

What code 99205 reflects a complexity of medical decision making?

Code 99205 represents high complexity medical decision making in medical billing and coding. It is typically used when a provider spends approximately 60 minutes in a face-to-face encounter with a patient, dealing with issues of significant complexity.

Can you bill an office visit and hospital visit on the same day?

CPT Codes 99221-99223, 99231-99236, 99238 & 99239

MACs pay both visits if you see a patient in the office on 1 day, and they're admitted to the hospital as an inpatient or get observation care on the next day.

How many years before a patient is considered a new patient?

A new patient is one who has not received any professional services, [e.g., E/M service or other face-to-face service (e.g., surgical procedure)] from the physician or physician group practice (same physician specialty) within the previous 3 years.

Can you bill 99205 and 99417 together?

Both CPT ® code 99417 and HCPCS code G2212 may only be reported in conjunction with 99205 or 99215 if the codes were selected based on the time alone and not medical decision making. A service of less than 15 minutes should not be reported.

How to determine medical decision making?

Capacity is the basis of informed consent. Patients have medical decision-making capacity if they can demonstrate understanding of the situation, appreciation of the consequences of their decision, and reasoning in their thought process, and if they can communicate their wishes.

What is an example of a self-limited problem?

CPT defines a “self-limited or minor” problem as one “that runs a definite and prescribed course, is transient in nature, and is not likely to permanently alter health status or has a good prognosis with management/compliance.” Examples in the documentation guidelines include a cold, an insect bite and tinea corporis.

What are some examples of systemic symptoms?

For systemic general symptoms such as fever, body aches or fatigue in a minor illness that may be treated to alleviate symptoms, shorten the course of illness or to prevent complications, see the definitions for 'self-limited or minor' or 'acute, uncomplicated.

What are the 4 medical decision making levels?

The levels of evaluation and management (E/M) services recognize four types of medical decision-making (straightforward, low complexity, moderate complexity and high complexity).

What is the highest paying medical coding and billing?

High Paying Medical Coder Jobs
  • Coding Director. Salary range: $44,500-$122,000 per year. ...
  • Coding and Reimbursement Specialist. Salary range: $59,000-$97,000 per year. ...
  • Coding Manager. Salary range: $52,000-$83,000 per year. ...
  • Medical Coding Auditor. ...
  • Hospital Coder. ...
  • Coding Compliance Specialist. ...
  • Coder. ...
  • Medical Coding Manager.

What is the difference between code 99204 and 99205?

Code 99204 requires a minimum of 45 minutes of face-to-face time with the patient and Code 99205 requires a minimum of 60 minutes face-to-face time with the patient. For both services, at least 50% of the face-to-face time must be spent providing counseling and/or coordination of care.

Can a nurse practitioner bill a 90792?

Code 90792 is used for an intake assessment for care that includes medical services, such as ordering diagnostic work or prescribing medication. For this reason, 90792 can only be billed by a qualified medical clinician like a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner.

What are the 3 levels of service?

Basic, intermediate, and advanced servitization require a manufacturer to provide some form of service alongside its produced goods. For basic servitization, the service provider offers traditional services such as repair kits, spare parts, and tools at a cost alongside the produced goods.

What is the peak hour factor?

The Peak Hour Factor (PHF) compares the traffic volume during the busiest 15-minutes of the peak hour with the total volume during the peak hour. It indicates how consistent traffic volume is during the peak hour.

What does los f mean?

Level of Service uses a letter-grade system ranging from LOS A to LOS F. LOS A indicates free flow conditions with little or no delay. LOS F indicates oversaturated conditions with excessive delays.