One of the complexities for medical practices is using time in CPT^® coding. CPT^® has long had a unit of time rule that a unit of time is met when the midpoint has passed. That is, you’ve reached an hour after 31 minutes. There are many CPT^® codes that follow this mid-point time rule including critical care, psychotherapy, and physical and occupational therapy services that are time based. Evaluation and management services do not follow the rule. The time in the description of E/M codes must be met in full when using time to select a level for those services. Other services also require that the total time in the CPT^® description is met. Download our reference sheet and watch the video to learn which codes do and don’t follow the CPT^® time rule.

• Reference sheet
• Video slides