By Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD,
and Carole Burns, OD, FCOVD
Nov. 4, 2020
Jan. 1, 2021, brings big changes to E/M coding. The new changes make coding office encounters easier. Here are the changes in a nutshell.
• The E/M code is chosen on the level of medical decision making or total time.
• Patient history and exam elements still need to be documented.
• Code 99201 is deleted.
• The definition of time associated with E/M levels 99202-99215 changes from “face-to-face” time to “total time spent on the date of the encounter.”
Other Articles to Explore
• “Number of diagnoses or management options” changes to “Number and complexity of problems addressed.”
• “Amount and/or complexity of data to be reviewed” changes to “Amount and/or complexity of data to be reviewed and analyzed.”
• “Risk of complications and/or morbidity or mortality” changes to “Risk of complications and/or morbidity or mortality of patient management.”
The new 99000 E/M code definitions are:
Here is the Medical Decision Making chart:
To dig deeper on this topic, go to the AMA’s entire, original document on these coding changes by clicking HERE.
