Coding Corner Answer

Answer A. 99238

Discharge management codes are time-based codes: CPT code 99238 (30 minutes or less) and 99239 (more than 30 minutes).

• Billing 99239 requires documentation of the total time spent by the practitioner discharging the patient and the time must be >30 minutes.
• Time spent by a fellow, resident, or nursing team members other than the practitioner cannot be utilized to account for the total time to support 99239.
• The time to prepare the discharge summary documents cannot be counted toward the total discharge day E/M code time for a 99238 or 99239.

The time that can be utilized for 99238 and 99239 includes:

• a. Final examination of the patient
• b. Discussion of the hospital stay
• c. Instructions for continuing care by all relevant post hospital caregivers
• d. Preparation of prescriptions and referral forms
• e. Other care coordination activities

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