New Patient vs Established Patient Codes

DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW- AND ESTABLISHED-PATIENT OFFICE VISITS

A) New Patient

	HISTORY	EXAM	MEDICAL DECISION MAKING	TYPICAL FACE-TO-FACE TIME (MINUTES)
99201	Problem-focused	Problem-focused	Straightforward	10
99202	Expanded problem-focused	Expanded problem-focused	Straightforward	20
99203	Detailed	Detailed	Low	30
99204	Comprehensive	Comprehensive	Moderate	45
99205	Comprehensive	Comprehensive	High	60

B) Established Patient

	HISTORY	EXAM	MEDICAL DECISION MAKING	TYPICAL FACE-TO-FACE TIME (MINUTES)
99211	Not required	Not required	Not required	5
99212	Problem-focused	Problem-focused	Straightforward	10
99213	Expanded problem-focused	Expanded problem-focused	Low	15
99214	Detailed	Detailed	Moderate	25
99215	Comprehensive	Comprehensive	High	40

Two of the three key components must be met

For the new patient codes, the required components and the relative value units (RVUs) are greater than for established patient codes at the same level

Reference

http://www.aafp.org/fpm/2003/0900/p33.html

New Patient vs Established Patient Codes

DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW- AND ESTABLISHED-PATIENT OFFICE VISITS

A) New Patient

B) Established Patient

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