Should the admitting physician or the discharge physician bill the CPT code (99234-99236) for a patient who is admitted and discharged in the same 24-hour period?
—Charlette
Dr. Hospitalist responds:
Assuming both physicians are part of the same group and specialty, they are considered one physician. Since it appears that both face-to-face encounters are separated by eight hours, you’re correct, only one physician can bill the bundled care code 99234-99236. The group must decide which physician gets the RVU credit for the bundled code. Our group gives the credit to the admitting physician.