Emergency office services

However, neither CPT nor CPT Assistant states that this interruption necessarily extends to being called out of the room in which the physician is currently caring for another patient. For example, a physician could “deal with” an office emergency by providing initial instructions to the clinical staff member who interrupts the physician’s care of another patient to advise him or her of the emergency. The physician could then treat the emergent patient after completing his or her care of the current patient. In this case, the intent of code 99058 would be met, even though the interruption of the physician’s care of another patient did not include leaving the exam room before the encounter was complete.

Note that since CPT considers 99058 to be an “adjunct to the basic services rendered,” it should not be submitted alone; rather, it should be submitted in addition to the other service(s) you rendered to the patient. And Medicare and many other payers consider 99058 bundled with the other service(s) you provided to that patient on that date, so they will not separately reimburse for 99058.

Coding multiple same-day, same-diagnosis visits

Excision vs. destruction

Editor’s note: While this department attempts to provide accurate information and useful advice, third-party payers may not accept the coding and documentation recommended. You should refer to the current CPT and ICD-9 manuals and the “Documentation Guidelines for Evaluation & Management Services” for the most detailed and up-to-date information.