Revisions to Consultation Services Payment Policy

Effective January 1, 2010, consultation codes (99241-99245 and 99251-99255) are no longer recognized for Medicare Part B payment. Physicians shall code patient evaluation and management visit with E/M codes that represent where the visit occurs and that identify the complexity of the visit performed. In the office or other outpatient setting where an evaluation is performed physicians and qualified nonphysician practitioners shall use the CPT codes (99201 – 99215) depending on the complexity of the visit and whether the patient is a new or established patient to that physician.