Respiratory Question for the Week of October 8, 2018

Question:

What code should be reported for a consult performed by a respiratory therapist in either an outpatient or inpatient setting?

Answer:

Physicians commonly request respiratory therapy to provide an opinion about a patient’s condition and/or recommended treatment. Generally speaking, most insurances including Medicare do not separately reimburse for consultations or instructions (e.g., ventilator management). The consultation or instruction is included in the work of the CPT^® code range 94XXX unless otherwise stated by the code.

CPT^® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.