Food for thought:
Another opportunity occurs to me that the spotlight of the pandemic has provided. Messaging to patients about suddenly charging for services which were “free” before (phone and portal) is more justified. Carriers require billing for all reportable services. You HAVE to bill for phone calls and portal communication or risk violating your contracts. You can no longer depend on office visit billing to report to carriers that you are treating their members.
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Hi Jan, to clarify billing for portal messages (we have down the telephone part)…
Should we be using the G codes?
G2012 (without uploaded picture)
G2010 (with uploaded picture)
Hi Caroline, Unless your carriers are requiring the G2012 or you’re doing lots of picture and video review (G2010), the Online digital codes may be the ones you’re looking for to bill portal services. These codes are time-based (99421: 5-10 min; 99422: 11-20 min; 99423: 21 min or more) for cumulative time over a seven day period starting from the time the first portal message from the patient is received. “Online digital E/M services are reported once for the physician’s or other QHP’s cumulative time devoted to the service during a seven-day period.”
Document the total of each work time segment and then total them up to choose your code on that seventh day after the first portal message for that problem came in.