evekhm/cms_iom_500 huggingface dataset:
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
In only rare and exceptional cases do reasonable and necessary outpatient observation services span more than 48 hours.  In the majority of cases, the decision whether to discharge a patient from the hospital following resolution of the reason for the obse rvation care or to admit the patient as an inpatient can be made in less than 48 hours, usually in less than 24 hours.  A/B MACs (B) pay for initial observation care billed by only the physician who ordered hospital outpatient observation services and was responsible for the patient during his/her observation care.  A physician who does not have inpatient admitting privileges but who is authorized to f urnish hospital outpatient observation services may bill these codes.   For a physician to bill observation care codes, there must be a medical observation record for the patient which contains dated and timed physicians orders regarding the observation services the patient is to receive, nursing notes, and progress notes pre pared by the physician while the patient received observation services.  This record must be in addition to any record prepared as a result of an emergency department or outpatient clinic encounter.   Payment for an initial observation care code is for all the care rendered by the ordering physician on the date the patients observation services began.  All other physicians who furnish consultations or additional evaluations or services while the patient is receiving hospital outpatient observation services must bill the appropriate outpatient service codes.   For example, if an internist orders observation services and asks another physician to additionally evaluate the patient, only the internist may bill the initial and subsequent observation care codes.  The other physician who evaluates the patient must bil l the new or established office or other outpatient visit codes as appropriate.   For information regarding hospital billing of observation services, see Chapter 4, 290.   B. Physician Billing for Observation Care Following Initiation of Observation Services
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
For information regarding hospital billing of observation services, see Chapter 4, 290.   B. Physician Billing for Observation Care Following Initiation of Observation Services   Starting in CY 2023, hospital inpatient and observation care by practitioners will be billed using the same CPT codes, CPT codes 99221 through 99223, 99231 through 99233, and 99238 and 99239. (CPT 99234 through 99236 are already used for billing hospital i npatient or observation care (including admission or discharge.) Although observation care codes (CPT codes 99218 through 99220 and 99224 through 99226) are being deleted, practitioners will still be able to furnish and bill for observation services using the revised Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services code set. Where noted, the term observation care code applies to Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services codes (CPT codes 99221- 99223, 99231-99239.)   The time counted toward the Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care codes is per day. Per day, also referred to as date of encounter, means the calendar date. When using MDM or time for code selection, a continuous service that spans the transition of 2 calendar dates is a single service and is reported on one date, which is the date the encounter begins. If the service is continuous, before and through midnight, all the time may be applied to the reported date of the service (that is, the calendar d ate the encounter began).   A billing practitioner shall bill only one of the hospital inpatient or observation care codes for an initial visit, a subsequent visit, or inpatient or observation care (including admission and discharge), as appropriate, once per calendar date. The pract itioner selects a code that reflects all of the practitioners services provided during the date of the service. The definitions of initial visit and subsequent visit for the purposes of billing observation care using the Hospital Inpatient or Observat ion Care Services codes can be found in section 30.6.9.E. Note also, that in some cases, practitioners may bill a prolonged code in addition to the Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services base code; refer to section 30.6.9.F.)
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
Observation care codes are billed by the treating practitioner. All other practitioners who furnish consultations or additional evaluations or services while the patient is receiving hospital outpatient observation services must bill the appropriate outpatient service codes.   For additional guidance for billing observation care using the Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services code set, CPT codes 99221- 99223, 99231- 99239, refer to sections 30.6.9.1 and 30.6.9.2, where specified.  For additional guidance for billing prolonged Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care, refer to section 30.6.9.15.    C. Documentation Requirements for Billing Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services (Including Admission and Discharge Services)   The physician shall satisfy the E/M documentation guidelines for furnishing observation care or inpatient hospital care.  In addition to meeting the documentation requirements for medically appropriate history and/or examination, and medical decision making, documentation in the medical record shall include:    Documentation stating the stay for observation care or inpatient hospital care involves 8 hours, but less than 24 hours;    Documentation identifying the billing physician was present and personally performed the services; and    Documentation identifying the order for observation services, progress notes, and discharge notes were written by the billing physician.  In the rare circumstance when a patient receives observation services for more than 2 calendar dates, the physician shall bill observation services furnished on day(s) other than the initial or discharge date using subsequent observation care codes.   D. Admission to Inpatient Status Following Observation Care   For the purposes of reporting an initial hospital inpatient or observation care service, a transition from observation status to inpatient status does not constitute a new stay.
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
For the purposes of reporting an initial hospital inpatient or observation care service, a transition from observation status to inpatient status does not constitute a new stay.   If the same physician who ordered hospital outpatient observation services also admits the patient to inpatient status before the end of the date on which the patient began receiving hospital outpatient observation services, pay only an initial hospital vi sit for the evaluation and management services provided on that date.  Medicare payment for the initial hospital visit includes all services provided to the patient on the date of admission by that physician, regardless of the site of service.  The physici an may not bill an initial or subsequent observation care code for services on the date that he or she admits the patient to inpatient status.  If the patient is admitted to inpatient status from hospital outpatient observation care subsequent to the date of initiation of observation services, the physician must bill a subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care code for the services provided on that date.  The physician may not bill the hospital inpatient or observation discharge management code (CPT codes 99238- 99239) or an outpatient/office visit for the care provided while the patient received hospital outpatient observation services on the date of admission to inpatient status.  Note that in some cases, practitioners may bill a prolonged code in addition to the Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services base code; time spent by the same practitioner on the same day for the same patient in multiple settings (or for a patient w ho transitions between outpatient and inpatient status) may be counted toward the Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services base code and, if applicable, a prolonged code. Refer to section 30.6.9.F.)    E. Hospital Observation Services During Global Surgical Period   The global surgical fee includes payment for hospital observation car e services unless the criteria for use of CPT modifiers  -24,  -25, or  -57 are met.  A/B MACs (B)  must pay for these services in addition to the global surgical fee only if both of the following requirements are met:    The hospital observation service meets the criteria needed to justify billing it with CPT modifiers  -24,  -25, or  -57 (decision for major surgery); and    The hospital observation service furnished by the surgeon meets all of the criteria for the hospital observation code billed.   Examples of the decision for surgery during a hospital observation period are:
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
 The hospital observation service furnished by the surgeon meets all of the criteria for the hospital observation code billed.   Examples of the decision for surgery during a hospital observation period are:    An emergency department physician orders hospital outpatient observation services for a patient with a head injury.  A neurosurgeon is called in to evaluate the need for surgery while the patient is receiving observation services and decides that the patient requires surgery.  The surgeon would bill a new or established office or other outpatient visit code as appropriate with the  -57 modifier to indicate that the decision for surgery was made during the evaluation.  The surgeon must bill the office or ot her outpatient visit code because the patient receiving hospital outpatient observation services is not an inpatient of the hospital.  Only the physician who ordered hospital outpatient observation services may bill for observation care.    A neurosurgeon orders hospital outpatient observation services for a patient with a head injury.  During the observation period, the surgeon makes the decision for surgery.  The surgeon would bill the appropriate level of hospital observation code with the  -57 modifier to indicate that the decision for surgery was made while the surgeon was providing hospital observation care.   Examples of hospital observation services during the postoperative period of a surgery are:    A surgeon orders hospital outpatient observation services for a patient with abdominal pain from a kidney stone on the 80th day following a TURP (performed by that surgeon).  The surgeon decides that the patient does not require surgery.  The surgeon would bill the observation code with CPT modifier  -24 and documentation to support that the observation services are unrelated to the surgery.    A surgeon orders hospital outpatient observation services for a patient with abdominal pain on the 80th day following a TURP (performed by that surgeon).  While the patient is receiving hospital outpatient observation services, the surgeon decides that the patient requires kidney surgery.  The surgeon would bill the observation code with HCPCS modifier  -57 to indicate that the decision for surgery was made while the patient was receiving hospital outpatient observation services.  The subsequent surgical procedure would be reported with modifier  -79.
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
 A surgeon orders hospital outpatient observation services for a patient with abdominal pain on the 20th day following a resection of the colon (performed by that surgeon).  The surgeon determines that the patient requires no further colon surgery and disch arges the patient.  The surgeon may not bill for the observation services furnished during the global period because they were related to the previous surgery.   An example of a billable hospital observation service on the same day as a procedure is when a physician repairs a laceration of the scalp in the emergency department for a patient with a head injury and then subsequently orders hospital outpatient observa tion services for that patient.  The physician would bill the observation code with a CPT modifier 25 and the procedure code.   30.6.9 - Payment for Inpatient Hospital Visits - General  (Rev. 11842; Issued; 02- 09-23 Effective:01 -01-23; Implementation: 05 -09-23) Starting in CY 2023, hospital inpatient and observation care by practitioners will be billed using the same CPT codes, CPT codes 99221 through 99223, 99231 through 99233, and 99238 and 99239. (CPT 99234 through 99236 are already used for billing hospital i npatient or observation care (including admission or discharge.) Where they appear, references such as hospital care, hospital E/M or hospital inpatient care services in this section apply to Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services codes (CPT  codes 99221- 99223, 99231-99239.)    A. Hospital Visit and Critical Care on Same Day  Hospital evaluation and management (E/M) visits may be billed the same day as critical care services in certain circumstances discussed in section 30.6.12.  Documentation must support the claims as indicated in that section.   During critical care management of a patient those services that do not meet the level of critical care shall be reported using an inpatient hospital care service with CPT Subsequent Hospital Care using a code from CPT code range 99231 - 99233.  Both Initial Hospital Care (CPT codes 99221 -  99223) and Subsequent Hospital Care codes are per diem services and may be reported only once per day by the same physician or physicians of the same specialty from the same group practice.   B. Two Hospital Visits Same Day
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
B. Two Hospital Visits Same Day  The time counted toward the Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care codes is per day. Per day, also referred to as date of encounter, means the calendar date. When using MDM or time for code selection, a continuous service that spans the transition of 2 calendar dates is a single service and is reported on one date, which is the date the encounter begins. If the service is continuous, before and through midnight, all the time may be applied to the reported date of the service (that is, the calendar d ate the encounter began).  A billing practitioner shall bill only one of the hospital inpatient or observation care codes for an initial visit, a subsequent visit, or inpatient or observation care (including admission and discharge), as appropriate, once per calendar date. The pract itioner selects a code that reflects all of the practitioners services provided during the date of the service. The definitions of initial visit and subsequent visit for the purposes of billing observation care using the Hospital Inpatient or Observat ion Care Services codes can be found in section 30.6.9.E.   A/B MACs (B) pay a physician for only one hospital visit per day for the same patient, whether the problems seen during the encounters are related or not.   Note that in some cases, practitioners may bill a prolonged code in addition to the Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services base code; time spent by the same practitioner on the same day for the same patient in multiple settings (or for a patient w ho transitions between outpatient and inpatient status) may be counted toward the Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services base code and, if applicable, a prolonged code. Refer to section 30.6.9.F.)   C. Hospital Visits Same Day But by Different Physicians   In a hospital inpatient situation involving one physician covering for another, if physician A sees the patient in the morning and physician B, who is covering for A, sees the same patient in the evening, A/B MACs (B) do not pay physician B for the second visit.  The hospital visit descrip tors include the phrase per day meaning care for the day.
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
If the physicians are each responsible for a different aspect of the patients care, pay both visits if the physicians are in different specialties and the visits are billed with different diagnoses.  There are circumstances where concurrent care may be bi lled by physicians of the same specialty.   D. Visits to Patients in Swing Beds   If the inpatient care is being billed by the hospital as inpatient hospital care, the hospital care codes apply.  If the inpatient care is being billed by the hospital as nursing facility care, then the nursing facility codes apply.  E. Definition of Initial and Subsequent Visit   An initial service is one that occurs when the patient has not received any professional services from the physician or NPP or another physician or NPP of the same specialty who belongs to the same group practice during the stay.   A subsequent service is one that occurs when the patient has received any professional services from the physician or NPP or another physician or NPP of the same specialty who belongs to the same group practice during the stay.   F. Prolonged Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services   Beginning January 1, 2023, prolonged services are reported for certain hospital inpatient or observation care visits using G0316. Prolonged services can be reported when time is used to select visit level, and the total practitioner time for the highest- level visit is exceeded by 15 or more minutes for services that are medically reasonable and necessary. See Prolonged Services section below for detailed reporting instructions.  30.6.9.1 - Payment for Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services and Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services (Including Admission and Discharge Services)                                                                                     (Rev. 11842; Issued; 02- 09-23 Effective:01 -01-23; Implementation: 05 -09-23)   A. Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care From Emergency Department
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
A. Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care From Emergency Department   A/B MACs (B) pay for an initial hospital inpatient or observation care service if a practitioner sees a patient in the emergency department and decides to admit the person to the hospital or place the patient in observation care.  They do not pay for both E/M services.  Also, they do not pay for an emergency department visit by the same practitioner on the same date of service.  When the patient is admitted to the hospital via another site of service (e.g., hospital emergency department, physicians office, nursing facility), all services provided by the practitioner in conjunction with that admission are considered part of the initial hospital inpatient or observation care when performed on the same date as the admission.  B. Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care on Day Following Visit   A/B MACs (B) pay both visits if a patient is seen in the office on one date and admitted to the hospital as an inpatient or receives observation care on the next date, even if fewer than 24 hours has elapsed between the visit and the admission for hospital  inpatient or placement in observation care.   C. Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care and Discharge on Same Day  Both hospital inpatient and observation care coding should be billed as follows:  When the patient is admitted to inpatient hospital care or is in observation care for less than 8 hours on the same date, then Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care, from CPT code range 99221 -  99223, shall be reported by the physician.  The Hospi tal Inpatient or Observation Discharge Day Management service, CPT codes 99238 or 99239, shall not be reported for this scenario.   When a patient is admitted to inpatient hospital care or is in observation care and then discharged on a different calendar date, the physician shall report an Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care from CPT code range 99221 -  99223 and a Hospital Inpatient or Observation Discharge Day Management service, CPT code 99238 or 99239.  When a patient has been admitted to inpatient hospital care or is in observation care for a minimum of 8 hours but less than 24 hours and discharged on the same calendar date, Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services (Including Admission and Dischar ge Services), from CPT code range 99234 - 99236, shall be reported.
(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)
The following table summarizes the above, based on hospital length of stay and discharge date:  Hospital Length of Stay  Discharged On  Code(s) to Bill  < 8 hours  Same calendar date as admission or start of observation  Initial hospital services only* 8 or more hours  Same calendar date as admission or start of observation  Same -day admission/discharge*  < 8 hours  Different calendar date than admission or start of observation  Initial hospital services only* 8 or more hours  Different calendar date than admission or start of observation  Initial hospital services* + discharge day management  *Plus prolonged inpatient/observation services, if applicable.    D. Documentation Requirements for Billing Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services (Including Admission and Discharge Services)   The physician shall satisfy the E/M documentation guidelines for admission to and discharge from inpatient observation or hospital care.  In addition to meeting the documentation requirements for medically appropriate history and/or examination, and medica l decision making documentation in the medical record shall include:    Documentation stating the stay for hospital treatment or observation care status involves 8 hours but less than 24 hours;    Documentation identifying the billing physician was present and personally performed the services; and    Documentation identifying the admission and discharge notes were written by the billing physician.    E. Physician Services Involving Transfer From One Hospital to Another; Transfer Within Facility to Prospective Payment System (PPS) Exempt Unit of Hospital; Transfer From One Facility to Another Separate Entity Under Same Ownership and/or Part of Same Complex; or Trans fer From One Department to Another Within Single Facility   Physicians may bill both the hospital discharge management code and an initial hospital care code when the discharge and admission do not occur on the same day if the transfer is between:    Different hospitals;   Different facilities under common ownership which do not have merged records; or    Between the acute care hospital and a PPS exempt unit within the same hospital when there are no merged records.   In all other transfer circumstances, the physician should bill only the appropriate level of subsequent hospital care for the date of transfer.   F. Initial Hospital Care Service Requirements   Per the CPT code descriptors for Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services, a medically appropriate history and/or examination will be required, but will no longer be used to select visit level. Practitioners working in hospitals should conti nue to be aware of the documentation needed to meet requirements for other payment systems or Conditions of Participation, in addition to the documentation required to bill Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care codes under the PFS.