CodingIntel
  • What is CodingIntel
    • About
    • Become a Member
    • FAQ
  • Pricing
  • Free Resources
    • Overview
    • Blog
    • Everyday Coding Q&A
    • Newsletter
    • Can I get paid
    • Consultant Database
  • Coding Library
    • Coding Guides
    • Quick Reference Sheets
    • E/M Services
    • How Physician Services Are Paid
    • Prevention & Screening
    • Care Management & Remote Monitoring
    • Surgery, Modifiers & Global
    • Diagnosis Coding
    • New & Newsworthy
    • Speciality
    • Practice Management
    • E/M Rules Archive
    • Courses
  • Webinars
Sign in Become a Member

July 1, 2025

Articles

Spotlight on up-to-date coding

 

 

Remote Therapeutic Monitoring

There are six remote therapeutic monitoring codes in the general medicine section of CPT® which may be performed by physicians, PAs and NPs and other practitioners such as psychologists, LCSWs, physical therapists and occupational therapists These codes are for non-physiologic measures and the results can be uploaded digitally or reported by the patient A physician, […]

Remote Physiologic Monitoring Treatment Management Services

This is an overview of coding for Digitally Stored Data Services/Remote Physiologic Monitoring in the E/M section of the CPT book. There are more detailed articles for the individual codes on CodingIntel. Put the code in the search box to find them. Medical practices can use these devices to monitor a patient’s health metrics, assess […]

Blood Pressure Self-Measurement: Education, Training and Analysis | CPT® Codes 99473, 99474

There are two CPT® codes specifically for blood pressure self-measurement and management. The first is for patient education and calibration of a home blood pressure device The second is for reviewing data collected by the patient at home, with a report and communication back to the patient 99473  Self-measured blood pressure using a device validated […]

ICD-10-CM Conventions, Structure, and Format: Section I.A

As you read this article, it will be helpful if you have the ICD-10-CM book in front of you. You can download a pdf copy here. And even if you don’t download the entire book, download the Official Guidelines instead. There are four cooperating parties to ICD-10-CM. They publish and update the official guidelines for […]

The First Element of MDM: Number and Complexity of Problems Addressed

E/M elements for MDM There are three elements in medical decision-making and this article describes the first of three When selecting a level of service based on medical decision-making two of the three elements are required CPT® has developed definitions for many of the components in the MDM chart. The examples listed in the definitions […]

The Third Element of MDM: Risk of Complications

The third element of MDM: risk of complications and/or morbidity or mortality of patient management at the encounter Coding for E/M services There are three elements in medical decision-making and this article describes the third, the risk of complications and/or morbidity or mortality related to patient management When selecting a level of service based on […]

The Second Element of MDM: Amount and/or Complexity of Data

There are three elements in medical decision-making and this article describes the second, arguably, the most complex of the three elements When selecting a level of service based on medical decision-making two of the three elements are required CPT® has developed definitions for many of the components in the MDM chart. This article describes the definitions […]

Critical Care Services

Definition and Explanation of Critical Care Service Definition: Coding service for caring for a critically ill or injured patient Explanation: Critical care has high relative value units and payments so it’s important to know the coding rules. This article describes what can be included in the time of critical care what can’t be included, and […]

Commonly Performed Procedures in Primary Care

These reference sheets for minor procedures include common CPT® codes, descriptions, current work and non-facility RVUs, and global days for quick reference. The first chart includes codes 10060-11443, the second 11600-17111, and the third 20550-54056.

Incident To Services – Medicare

Medicare has specific rules for billing for nurse practitioners and physician assistants and other office staff incident to a physician services in an office.  This article includes: Description, explanation and codes for incident-to services Billing and coding rules Brief video overview Enrollment of non-physician practitioners (NPPs) for incident-to billing See our Medicare Incident-to and Shared […]

Coding for Prolonged Services: CPT® and HCPCS Codes

Common rules: Prolonged services codes are add-on codes to the highest level E/M services in certain categories. In order to use prolonged care, the primary code must be selected based on time. This is in the CPT® and HCPCS definition of prolonged services. Prolonged services codes may only be added to the highest-level code in […]

Nursing Facility Visits

Definition Nursing facility visits are Evaluation and Management services provided in a skilled nursing facility or a long term nursing facility. Explanation Only a physician may perform an initial nursing facility service in a SNF. This includes admissions and re-admissions. In an NF, a non-physician practitioner (NPP) who is not employed by the NF may […]

Preventive Medicine Services – Medicare

Medicare has very specific requirements for preventive services. What can you bill, what must you document? This article covers all the bases including tips for billing the Welcome to Medicare and Annual and Subsequent Wellness Visits.  More tips for preventive medicine and split visits can be found here. See also Q&A from the Preventive Medicine […]

Coding Multiple Procedures | Examples with Modifiers

Biopsies and lesion destruction codes are often performed at the same patient visit. This leads to questions about bundling and modifiers. There are two steps to billing these correctly and avoiding denials: Check the total RVU values Check the NCCI edits. There is a step-by-step procedure for coding multiple procedures at the end of this […]

E/M Frequency Data for Hospitalists

Hospitalists became a recognized specialty by CMS starting in 2017, and we now have frequency E/M data for the specialty. There are probably still physicians who have not switched their specialty designation.  Physicians self-elect their specialty designation with Medicare and other payers. Many hospitalists are family medicine or internal medicine physicians by training, working as […]

E/M Frequency Data for Surgical Specialties

CMS releases E/M frequency data annually.  A physician self-elects their specialty designation when enrolling with Medicare. Unfortunately, there aren’t specialty designations for breast,  bariatrics, or trauma surgery, and those surgeons are usually enrolled using the category for general surgery. There are specialty designations for vascular surgery, plastic surgery, thoracic, and surgical oncology. The data below […]

E/M Frequency Data for Psychiatrists

CMS releases E/M frequency data annually.  A physician self-elects their specialty designation when enrolling with Medicare. This is the data for psychiatrists. The data below is from 2023 released in late 2024. Office services Psychiatry New OV  2023 99201* 0% 99202 0.59% 99203 6.82% 99204 40.09% 99205 52.50% Established office visits  2023 99211 0.83% 99212 […]

E/M Frequency Data for Infectious Disease, Pulmonary Medicine and Cardiology

CMS releases E/M frequency data annually.  A physician self-elects their specialty designation when enrolling with Medicare. Infectious disease, pulmonary medicine and cardiology are all specialties with active inpatient services, and of course, busy office services. That’s why I’ve elected to show them together. The data below is from 2023, released in late 2024. Office services […]

Multiple E/M Services in the Same Calendar Day

The AMA has added a new subsection in the 2024 E/M section addressing how to report E/M services when there are multiple encounters in the same day. (Pages 6 and 7) According to CPT Changes 2024 An Insider’s View, the reason for this was to provide clarification for when multiple E/M services were performed on […]

Psychiatric Collaborative Care Management Services

This resource covers Psychiatric Collaborative Care Management Services 99492, 99493, 99494 and
Care Management for Behavioral Health 99484.

Teaching Physician – Primary Care Exception

CMS updated the teaching physician rules in 2019, and this article reflects the change. On April 26, 2019 CMS released Transmittal 4283. The transmittal primarily addresses E/M services, but also amends the section of the manual related to the primary care exception.  The changes to the primary care section were mostly wording updates. Those rules […]

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 6
  • Next Page »

Annual CPT® Changes Webinar

CodingIntel welcomes back Shannon McCall of HCPro for this review of changes that will go into effect January 1st, 2025. Exclusively for members.

Join now

Compliance for Medical Practices

Exclusively for members, this two module concentration includes guidance for developing an audit workplan, and how to locate source citations for common healthcare compliance scenarios.

Join today!

IRE Inpatient Determinations: Case Studiesoding for Prolonged Services | Webinar

Exclusively for members, this case-study focused webinar describes important ICD-10-CM Guidelines that establish the rules for these decisions.

Join today!

Latest Intel

2026 CMS Proposed Physician Rule | Webinar

Overview … Read More...

Provider-Based Billing | Webinar

Overview … Read More...

Anatomy of an Auditâ„¢: Amount and Complexity of Data | Webinar

Overview … Read More...

Fueling Compliance: Cracking the Code on DSMT & MNT | Webinar

Overview … Read More...

Browse By Categories

Browse Content

  • Articles
  • Coding Guides
  • Everyday Coding Q&A
  • Videos
  • Can I Get Paid to
  • Blog
  • Webinars

Tags

behavioral health_cpt codes behavioral health_medication management care management CMS updates Code sets and reimbursement compliance issues critical care services dermatology_essential resource dermatology_procedures E/M frequency data E/M medical decision making E/M overview E/M reference sheets E/M rule changes FQHC general surgery_diagnosis coding general surgery_E/M services general surgery_modifiers general surgery_procedures global surgery issues HCC diagnosis coding hospital inpatient/observation ICD-10-CM coding level of service_Exam level of service_history level of service_MDM level of service_time medicare incident-to and shared services minor procedures modifiers office and other E/M Preventive and problem visits preventive services for medicare primary care_diagnosis coding primary care_E/M services primary care_essential resource primary care_modifiers primary care_other E/M services primary care_preventive services primary care_procedures prolonged care remote physiologic monitoring screening and counseling for behavioral conditions teaching physician rules telehealth

All content on CodingIntel is copyright protected. Any resource shared within the permissions granted here may not be altered in any way, and should retain all copyright information and logos.

  • About CodingIntel
  • FAQs
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Our mission is to provide up-to-date, simplified, citation driven resources that empower our members to gain confidence and authority in their coding role.

In 1988, CodingIntel.com founder Betsy Nicoletti started a Medical Services Organization for a rural hospital, supporting physician practice. She has been a self-employed consultant since 1998. She estimates that in the last 20 years her audience members number over 28,400 at in person events and webinars. She has had 2,500 meetings with clinical providers and reviewed over 43,000 medical notes. She knows what questions need answers and developed this resource to answer those questions.

Copyright © 2025, CodingIntel
A division of Medical Practice Consulting, LLC
Privacy Policy