Coding Corner

Coding Question

12-day old term newborn weighing 3.7 kg is discharging from Special Care Nursery setting following completion of 10-day course of parenteral antibiotics for early onset sepsis. Infant has remained well appearing after initial day of presentation and has fed ad lib on demand throughout her hospitalization. You review the records from the hospital course and the last 24 hours (5 minutes), examine the patient (5 minutes), participate in multidisciplinary rounds at the bedside (5 minutes) and document your work (10 minutes). The resident team with whom you are working reviewed education with patient’s parents (20 minutes) after you left the room.

The appropriate billing code is:

A. 99238 (30 minutes or less)

B. 99239 (more than 30 minutes)

C. 99480 (2501-5000 g) and 99238

D. 99480 (2501-5000 g) and 99239

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