Q. If the patient needs an unrelated evaluation and management (E/M) visit during the 30 days can I bill for this?
A. Yes, although there are some restrictions on what you can bill, such as anticoagulation management and home health care certification.
Ron,
I have a partner that had to eat two office visits. He saw the patient unexpectedly two separate times in the office for the same problem he was hospitalized for within the first 30 days post hospital. As I understand it there are two levels for the TCM, but if you see the patient in the office for the same problem you are unable to bill for those visits, the TCM code encompasses all related care to the issue at hand within the first 30 days post hospital. So if it is unrelated then I think you are right.
