CPT 99217 (observation discharge code)

I understand that for observation admission and discharge on same day, CPT codes 99234-36 needs to be billed?

Can CPT code 99217 be billed even when no admission observation code is billed?

why would you?

If the patient was discharged then they must have been admitted! The only circumstance is when a patient comes in late in the evening and your doc sees them in the morning and sends them home. IMHO that is an admit and discharge same day 99234-6 since I am doing the work of both the admission and the discharge.

I changed my mind

I just heard Betsy speak- if there was only one visit with the patient then you would only bill the admit to Observation code and no discharge code. Admit and discharge wold only apply if the patient was seen twice in the same day.

what if...

What if you're doctor is covering for another doctor who is out of town? Say Doctor A admitted the patient to observation on Monday, then went out of town that evening. Doctor B is covering for Doctor A. Doctor B sees the patient on Tuesday and discharges patient.

Doctor B will only bill for the discharge. Doctor A will only bill for the admit.

I know that wasn't really the question, but it is a possible circumstance.

What is the issue?

[What if you're doctor is covering for another doctor who is out of town? Say Doctor A admitted the patient to observation on Monday, then went out of town that evening. Doctor B is covering for Doctor A. Doctor B sees the patient on Tuesday and discharges patient.

Doctor B will only bill for the discharge. Doctor A will only bill for the admit.

I know that wasn't really the question, but it is a possible circumstance. ]

What is the issue here? A bills Admit to Obs, B bills discharge from Obs. Two different days, two different docs, two different codes, no reason to worry. Now if Doc A admits in the am and Doc B discharges that same day, only one can bill the admit/discharge same day code.

just an example

That was just an example in response to the statement:

"If the patient was discharged then they must have been admitted!"

It was just an example of when you could bill a discharge without an admit.

just an example

If Doc A admits and Doc B discharges later that day, I assume Doc A charges the admit code and Doc B charges the discharge code (since there are 2 doctors involved). I assume Doc B actually made rounds to discharge the pt. (I'm a pediatrician and I discharge from the nursery all the time. My partner saw the baby in the AM and parents later decide to go home. If I go see the baby, I submit a 99238 for discharge. If it's a phone order and I DON'T go see the pt, I don't submit a charge.) I'm aware the Medicare world and rules may be different.