When selecting an evaluation and management code, what is the first thing that the coder needs to determine?
A)The time the provider spent with the patient
B)The appropriate category of E&M service
C)Whether the patient was new or established
D)How long the discharge took

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When selecting an evaluation and management code, the first thing that the coder needs to determine is the appropriate category of E&M service. This means that the coder needs to determine where the service was provided (i.e., hospital inpatient, office/outpatient, hospital observation, etc.). Whether the patient was new or established would only be a question in certain categories. In addition, the time spent with the patient is only a determining factor in certain categories.

When Selecting an Evaluation and Management Code, What Is the First