What is CPT Code 99202?: Understanding Initial Outpatient Visits






What is CPT Code 99202?: Understanding Initial Outpatient Visits

CPT code 99202 refers to a routine type of medical appointment where a doctor meets a new patient to gather information about their health and make simple medical decisions.

Procedure Explanation:

This code covers a doctor’s office visit for someone who hasn’t been seen before by the doctor or in that practice. The visit involves collecting some health history or doing a basic check-up, followed by simple decision-making about what might be wrong or the next steps. This type of appointment should last at least 15 minutes. The procedure does not include follow-up visits or more complex examinations that require detailed assessments.

Common Names:

  1. New Patient Office Visit
  2. Initial Consultation
  3. New Patient Evaluation

Relative Value Units (RVU):

The RVUs associated with this code are 0.93.

How This Procedure Appears:

  • Operating Room Schedule Name: Not typically scheduled as it’s an outpatient visit
  • Surgical Consent Form Name: Not applicable, as no surgery is involved

Typical Patients and Diagnoses:

This type of visit is common for individuals who are visiting a new doctor’s office or clinic for the first time. Patients might have issues like a cough, a routine check-up, or mild symptoms they want to have checked. It’s often used for people needing a doctor’s opinion on minor health concerns.

Associated ICD-10 Codes:

  • Z00.00: General adult medical examination without abnormal findings, meaning a standard check-up showed everything was normal.
  • R51: Headache, which is a common reason why new patients might visit a doctor.
  • J06.9: Acute upper respiratory infection, unspecified, often used when a patient has a cold or similar symptoms.

Summary

In summary, code 99202 describes a doctor’s initial meeting with a new patient to collect health information and make straightforward medical decisions. Typical ICD-10 codes associated with 99202 include Z00.00 (Routine medical examination) and R51 (Headache).


Disclaimer
This post is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. “CPT” and CPT Codes are registered trademarks of the American Medical Association. HCPCS codes are managed by Medicare and are not subject to copyright.


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