99354

Does the doctor have to be actually face to face in the room with a pt for the extra 31 minutes to allow for this code?
For example, I may have a pt getting a nebulizer treatment or ear lavage or waiting for some test results or monitoring high blood pressure. What if those pts are in the office for 2 hours or 1 hour and I go in and out of the room several times...can I bill for the time in the office since I am in and out and within 10 feet of the pt but not in the room every single minute?

re: 99354

You can only bill face-face time with the patient once 30 minutes has passed beyond the code level time.