What is evaluation and management code 99213?

Asked by: Mrs. Audra Ritchie I  |  Last update: September 6, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (58 votes)

Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and low level of medical decision making.

What are evaluation and management codes for?

E&M coding involves use of CPT codes ranging from 99202 to 99499. These represent services by a physician (or other health care professional) in which the provider is either evaluating or managing a patient's health.

What are the 3 main categories of evaluation and management E&M billing?

Medi-Cal reimburses codes 99205 (new patient visit, level five), 99215 (established patient visit, office or other outpatient visit, level five) and 99417 (prolonged evaluation and management service, each 15 minutes) at different levels based on the patient's age.

What is the difference between E&M code 99213 and 99214?

The primary difference between CPT code 99213 and 99214 lies in the complexity and time involved. While 99213 is for a low level of medical decision-making, 99214 is used for moderate complexity, requiring a higher level of medical decision-making and more extensive history and examination.

What is the modifier 25 to an evaluation and management code?

Modifier 25 is used to indicate that a patient's condition required a significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management (E/M) service above and beyond that associated with another procedure or service being reported by the same physician or other qualified health care professional (QHP) on the same date.

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32 related questions found

What is the evaluation and management code 99214?

The 99214 CPT code is a billing code used by healthcare professionals to describe a moderate complexity visit for an established outpatient. It is part of the evaluation and management (E/M) category, which is central to patient care.

Does 99213 need a modifier 25?

If the E/M is not bundled into the stress test, then the Cardiologist's coder can use modifier 25 to indicate that these two services were separate and significant: 99213-25, 93015.

What level of visit is 99213?

What is CPT Code 99213? Level 3 code in the Evaluation and Management (E/M) category. CPT 99213 specifically describes a moderate-complexity office or outpatient visit.

What is code 99213 used for?

The 99213 code is specifically used for office visits that involve moderate medical decision-making and complexity. It is suitable for patients with established conditions or those with new, uncomplicated symptoms. These services encompass a range of primary care services that address the immediate needs of patients.

What is required for a 99214 E&M?

Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and moderate level of medical decision making. When using time for code selection, 30-39 minutes of total time is spent on the date of the encounter.

What is an example of evaluation and management?

As the name E/M indicates, these medical codes apply to visits and services that involve evaluating and managing patient health. Examples of E/M services include office and outpatient visits, hospital visits, home services, and preventive medicine services.

What is the meaning of evaluation and management?

Evaluation and management (E/M) services are cognitive (as opposed to procedural) services in which a physician or other qualified healthcare professional diagnoses and treats illness or injury.

What are the 3 questions a coder must ask themselves when selecting an E&M code?

Many E/M codes, such as those for inpatient care and home visits, include a combination of patient history, examination, and medical decision making (MDM). These factors — history, exam, and MDM (HEM) — are known as the three key components of E/M level selection.

What is the purpose of E&M codes?

Evaluation and Management coding is a medical coding process in support of medical billing. Practicing health care providers in the United States must use E/M coding to be reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid programs, or private insurance for patient encounters.

What is evaluation code?

Evaluation codes are defined using polynomial or rational functions evaluated on a subset of affine or projective space. Given access to more general structures (i.e., morphisms of algebras), any -ary linear code can be formulated as an evaluation code [1; Sec.

What bad effect can E&M codes have on your practice?

However, there are also potential negative effects, such as the complexity and frequent changes associated with E&M codes, which can create confusion and result in coding errors and potential financial penalties. To ensure accuracy, medical practices can take several steps.

Is CPT code 99213 preventive?

However, if you bill an additional office visit code (for example, 15 minute expanded problem visit code 99213 with modifier 25), this is NOT considered a preventive service, and may be subject to deductibles, copays or coinsurance.

What is a level 3 doctor visit?

Level-III visits are considered to have a low level of risk. Patient encounters that involve two or more self-limited problems, one stable chronic illness or an acute uncomplicated illness would qualify.

What does code 99213 mean?

CPT® code 99213: Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 20-29 minutes.

What is an example of a 99213 visit?

An example of a 99203 or 99213 is a sinus infection treated with an antibiotic. Although the prescription makes the risk component moderate, the one acute uncomplicated illness is a low-complexity problem, and there are no data points.

Is 99213 a telehealth code?

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, many physiatrists are performing standard office visits via telehealth. These services should be billed using standard E/M codes. For example, a level 3 office visit provided to an established patient via telehealth should be billed using code 99213.

Is 99213 covered by Medicare?

Medicare will pay a physician for an AWV service and a medically necessary service, e.g. a mid-level established office visit, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code 99213, furnished during a single beneficiary encounter.

When should modifier 25 be used?

The use of modifier 25 “indicates that documentation is available in the patient's record to support the reported E/M service as significant and separately identifiable,” the council report (PDF) adds.

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

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The decision to perform a minor procedure is included in the payment for the procedure, unless a significant and separate E/M is needed, performed and documented.