How to bill a 99254 in the Recovery Room

My physician presented a charge (99254) on a patient who was seen post operatively in the Recovery Room. The patient had outpatient surgery and was sent home same day. My physician was called in to see the patient in recovery as the patient developed some bronchospasm & aspiraton. This patient also has thyroid cancer. How does he bill for the 99254 or an equilavent code for a patient who was then discharged to home and never admitted?
My physician is a pulmonologist and critical care physician. The code he charged was a 99254 with dx codes of bronchospasm, aspiration & thyroid cancer. he was consulted by the surgeon.

Thank you,

Karen Morrison

re: How to bill a 99254 in the Recovery Room

99254 is an inpatient consult code. Outpatient consult code would be 99244. Medicare and Cigna will no longer accept the consult codes. Therefore you will have to bill a new or established office/outpatient code.

re: How to bill a 99254 in the Recovery Room

The status of the patient in the facility, inpatient or Observation or outpatient, also determines the category of code the physician bills. It isn't always clear what the status is based on the location of the patient, unfortunately.