Can a nursing home code and a hospital discharge code be billed the same date if the physician only sees the patient in the hospital and does not go to the nursing home?
The physician cannot bill for both codes unless the physician has a face-to-face visit with the patient at both places of service. If a physician prepares nursing home admit orders as part of the discharge from the hospital but does not see the patient at the nursing home that date, then the nursing home orders would be considered part of the discharge services. Furthermore, the discharge visit requires a final examination of the patient at the hospital, but the nursing home codes specifically require all three key components be performed (at the nursing facility place of service) and billed at the level medically necessary for that patient and as supported (met/exceeded) by the documentation in the medical record.
Related Questions
- Can a nursing home code and a hospital discharge code be billed the same date if the physician only sees the patient in the hospital and does not go to the nursing home?
- If the patient is readmitted and the same physician is requested again for consultation, can we bill another initial inpatient hospital service code?
- Can procedure code 99211 be billed even if the physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant sees the patient?
