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Official Description

Initial hospital inpatient or observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and straightforward or low level medical decision making.

When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 40 minutes must be met or exceeded.

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Short Descr 1ST HOSP IP/OBS SF/LOW 40
Medium Descr 1ST HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE SF/LOW MDM 40 MINUTES
Long Descr Initial hospital inpatient or observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and straightforward or low level medical decision making. When using total time on the date of the encounter for code selection, 40 minutes must be met or exceeded.
Status Code Active Code
Global Days XXX - Global Concept Does Not Apply
PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) 0 - Physician Service Code
Multiple Procedures (51) 0 - No payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply.
Bilateral Surgery (50) 0 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does NOT apply.
Physician Supervisions 09 - Concept does not apply.
Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) 0 - Payment restriction for assistants at surgery applies to this procedure...
Co-Surgeons (62) 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure.
Team Surgery (66) 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure.
Diagnostic Imaging Family 99 - Concept Does Not Apply
APC Status Indicator Code Not Recognized by OPPS when submitted on Outpatient Hospital Part B Bill Type (12x/13x)
Type of Service (TOS) 1 - Medical Care
Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) M2A - Hospital visit - initial
MUE 1
CCS Clinical Classification 227 - Other diagnostic procedures (interview, evaluation, consultation)

This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.

90833 Telehealth Service (Medicare) Addon Code Telemedicine Service (AMA) Audio-Only Telemedicine (AMA) MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Psychotherapy, 30 minutes with patient when performed with an evaluation and management service (List separately in addition to the code for primary procedure)
90836 Telehealth Service (Medicare) Addon Code Telemedicine Service (AMA) Audio-Only Telemedicine (AMA) MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Psychotherapy, 45 minutes with patient when performed with an evaluation and management service (List separately in addition to the code for primary procedure)
90838 Telehealth Service (Medicare) Addon Code Telemedicine Service (AMA) Audio-Only Telemedicine (AMA) MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Psychotherapy, 60 minutes with patient when performed with an evaluation and management service (List separately in addition to the code for primary procedure)
96160 Telehealth Service (Medicare) Add-on Code Telemedicine Service (AMA) Audio-Only Telemedicine (AMA) MPFS Status: Active Code APC S Administration of patient-focused health risk assessment instrument (eg, health hazard appraisal) with scoring and documentation, per standardized instrument
96161 Telehealth Service (Medicare) Add-on Code Telemedicine Service (AMA) Audio-Only Telemedicine (AMA) MPFS Status: Active Code APC S Administration of caregiver-focused health risk assessment instrument (eg, depression inventory) for the benefit of the patient, with scoring and documentation, per standardized instrument
G0506 Telehealth Service (Medicare) Add-on Code Medicare Coverage: Carrier Priced MPFS Status: Active Code APC N Comprehensive assessment of and care planning for patients requiring chronic care management services (list separately in addition to primary monthly care management service)
GC This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician
25 Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional on the same day of the procedure or other service: it may be necessary to indicate that on the day a procedure or service identified by a cpt code was performed, the patient's condition required a significant, separately identifiable e/m service above and beyond the other service provided or beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the procedure that was performed. a significant, separately identifiable e/m service is defined or substantiated by documentation that satisfies the relevant criteria for the respective e/m service to be reported (see evaluation and management services guidelines for instructions on determining level of e/m service). the e/m service may be prompted by the symptom or condition for which the procedure and/or service was provided. as such, different diagnoses are not required for reporting of the e/m services on the same date. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 25 to the appropriate level of e/m service. note: this modifier is not used to report an e/m service that resulted in a decision to perform surgery. see modifier 57 for significant, separately identifiable non-e/m services, see modifier 59.
AI Principal physician of record
FS Split (or shared) evaluation and management visit
57 Decision for surgery: an evaluation and management service that resulted in the initial decision to perform the surgery may be identified by adding modifier 57 to the appropriate level of e/m service.
24 Unrelated evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during a postoperative period: the physician or other qualified health care professional may need to indicate that an evaluation and management service was performed during a postoperative period for a reason(s) unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 24 to the appropriate level of e/m service.
95 Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via a real-time interactive audio and video telecommunications system: synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that would be sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. modifier 95 may only be appended to the services listed in appendix p. appendix p is the list of cpt codes for services that are typically performed face-to-face, but may be rendered via a real-time (synchronous) interactive audio and video telecommunications system.
GW Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition
X4 Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period
AF Specialty physician
GV Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider
CR Catastrophe/disaster related
AQ Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa)
Q6 Service furnished under a fee-for-time compensation arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area
CS Cost-sharing waived for specified covid-19 testing-related services that result in and order for or administration of a covid-19 test and/or used for cost-sharing waived preventive services furnished via telehealth in rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers during the covid-19 public health emergency
Q5 Service furnished under a reciprocal billing arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area
PD Diagnostic or related non diagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or operated entity to a patient who is admitted as an inpatient within 3 days
X5 Diagnostic services requested by another clinician: for reporting services by a clinician who furnishes care to the patient only as requested by another clinician or subsequent and related services requested by another clinician; this modifier is reported for patient relationships that may not be adequately captured by the above alternative categories; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the radiologist's interpretation of an imaging study requested by another clinician
SA Nurse practitioner rendering service in collaboration with a physician
GF Non-physician (e.g. nurse practitioner (np), certified registered nurse anesthetist (crna), certified registered nurse (crn), clinical nurse specialist (cns), physician assistant (pa)) services in a critical access hospital
GT Via interactive audio and video telecommunication systems
QJ Services/items provided to a prisoner or patient in state or local custody, however the state or local government, as applicable, meets the requirements in 42 cfr 411.4 (b)
X2 Continuous/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians whose expertise is needed for the ongoing management of a chronic disease or a condition that needs to be managed and followed with no planned endpoint to the relationship; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to: a rheumatologist taking care of the patient's rheumatoid arthritis longitudinally but not providing general primary care services
XP Separate practitioner, a service that is distinct because it was performed by a different practitioner
CG Policy criteria applied
GY Item or service statutorily excluded, does not meet the definition of any medicare benefit or, for non-medicare insurers, is not a contract benefit
Q1 Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study
U6 Medicaid level of care 6, as defined by each state
CC Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed)
X3 Episodic/broad services: for reporting services by clinicians who have broad responsibility for the comprehensive needs of the patient that is limited to a defined period and circumstance such as a hospitalization; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to the hospitalist's services rendered providing comprehensive and general care to a patient while admitted to the hospital
22 Increased procedural services: when the work required to provide a service is substantially greater than typically required, it may be identified by adding modifier 22 to the usual procedure code. documentation must support the substantial additional work and the reason for the additional work (ie, increased intensity, time, technical difficulty of procedure, severity of patient's condition, physical and mental effort required). note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
26 Professional component: certain procedures are a combination of a physician or other qualified health care professional component and a technical component. when the physician or other qualified health care professional component is reported separately, the service may be identified by adding modifier 26 to the usual procedure number.
27 Multiple outpatient hospital e/m encounters on the same date: for hospital outpatient reporting purposes, utilization of hospital resources related to separate and distinct e/m encounters performed in multiple outpatient hospital settings on the same date may be reported by adding modifier 27 to each appropriate level outpatient and/or emergency department e/m code(s). this modifier provides a means of reporting circumstances involving evaluation and management services provided by physician(s) in more than one (multiple) outpatient hospital setting(s) (eg, hospital emergency department, clinic). note: this modifier is not to be used for physician reporting of multiple e/m services performed by the same physician on the same date. for physician reporting of all outpatient evaluation and management services provided by the same physician on the same date and performed in multiple outpatient setting(s) (eg, hospital emergency department, clinic), see evaluation and management, emergency department, or preventive medicine services codes.
32 Mandated services: services related to mandated consultation and/or related services (eg, third party payer, governmental, legislative or regulatory requirement) may be identified by adding modifier 32 to the basic procedure.
56 Preoperative management only: when 1 physician or other qualified health care professional performed the preoperative care and evaluation and another performed the surgical procedure, the preoperative component may be identified by adding modifier 56 to the usual procedure number.
58 Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was: (a) planned or anticipated (staged); (b) more extensive than the original procedure; or (c) for therapy following a surgical procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 58 to the staged or related procedure. note: for treatment of a problem that requires a return to the operating/procedure room (eg, unanticipated clinical condition), see modifier 78.
59 Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25.
76 Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
77 Repeat procedure by another physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a basic procedure or service was repeated by another physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 77 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
79 Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.)
93 Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via telephone or other real-time interactive audio-only telecommunications system : synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located away at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that is sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction.
A1 Dressing for one wound
AG Primary physician
AH Clinical psychologist
AJ Clinical social worker
AM Physician, team member service
AO Alternate payment method declined by provider of service
AS Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery
CA Procedure payable only in the inpatient setting when performed emergently on an outpatient who expires prior to admission
ER Items and services furnished by a provider-based, off-campus emergency department
ET Emergency services
F2 Left hand, third digit
F4 Left hand, fifth digit
F5 Right hand, thumb
F9 Right hand, fifth digit
FA Left hand, thumb
FC Partial credit received for replaced device
FR The supervising practitioner was present through two-way, audio/video communication technology
FT Unrelated evaluation and management (e/m) visit on the same day as another e/m visit or during a global procedure (preoperative, postoperative period, or on the same day as the procedure, as applicable). (report when an e/m visit is furnished within the global period but is unrelated, or when one or more additional e/m visits furnished on the same day are unrelated)
G0 Telehealth services for diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment, of symptoms of an acute stroke
GA Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case
GE This service has been performed by a resident without the presence of a teaching physician under the primary care exception
GJ "opt out" physician or practitioner emergency or urgent service
GQ Via asynchronous telecommunications system
GR This service was performed in whole or in part by a resident in a department of veterans affairs medical center or clinic, supervised in accordance with va policy
GZ Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary
HB Adult program, non geriatric
HC Adult program, geriatric
KX Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met
LT Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body)
PO Excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital
Q0 Investigational clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study
Q3 Live kidney donor surgery and related services
QQ Ordering professional consulted a qualified clinical decision support mechanism for this service and the related data was provided to the furnishing professional
RT Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body)
SB Nurse midwife
SC Medically necessary service or supply
ST Related to trauma or injury
SV Pharmaceuticals delivered to patient's home but not utilized
T9 Right foot, fifth digit
TA Left foot, great toe
TH Obstetrical treatment/services, prenatal or postpartum
TL Early intervention/individualized family service plan (ifsp)
TR School-based individualized education program (iep) services provided outside the public school district responsible for the student
U7 Medicaid level of care 7, as defined by each state
UA Medicaid level of care 10, as defined by each state
UD Medicaid level of care 13, as defined by each state
X1 Continuous/broad services: for reporting services by clinicians, who provide the principal care for a patient, with no planned endpoint of the relationship; services in this category represent comprehensive care, dealing with the entire scope of patient problems, either directly or in a care coordination role; reporting clinician service examples include, but are not limited to: primary care, and clinicians providing comprehensive care to patients in addition to specialty care
XE Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter
XS Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure
XU Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service
Date
Action
Notes
2023-01-01 Changed Code description changed.
2013-01-01 Changed Description Changed
2008-01-01 Changed Code description changed.
2007-01-01 Changed Code description changed.
2006-01-01 Changed Code description changed.
1992-01-01 Added First appearance in code book in 1992.
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