The physician on duty examined the patient and determined that patient was ready for discharge. The physician spent 25 minutes on the hospital discharge of an inpatient discharge. What is the correct procedure code?
A)99238
B)99239
C)99217
D)99315

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct procedure code is 99238 (Hospital discharge day management; 30 minutes or less). Code 99239 is used when the physician spends 30 minutes or more on the hospital discharge so that code is incorrect because the discharge note states that the physician only spent 25 minutes on the patient's hospital discharge. The discharge note also states that the discharge was for a patient in the hospital, so code 99217 (Hospital observation patient) or 99315 (Nursing home patient) would also not be appropriate.

The Physician on Duty Examined the Patient and Determined That