Blue Cross annual wellness visit

If a patient has a policy that allows an annual wellness visit (most of them are union policies) and the patient then presents with another problem at the visit, such as a sore throat, can an E&M be billed also with the preventive exam with a modifier 25 and ICD-9 codes specific to the E&M? Can we bill 99396 and 99212 for the same visit?

re: Blue Cross annual wellness visit

Not that I am aware of, because that both kind of fall under that E&M coding umbrella. I would bill with the code that you would get the most reimbursement back on since you did two visits in one. Good luck!

re: Blue Cross annual wellness visit

We actually do bill out for E/M code with a wellness for BCBS and Aetna. Aetna is cutting down how much money for reimbursement but BCBS is pretty good about it. Just know that when ICD-10 comes out, you will not be able to code for both at the same visit.