99462

99462 is a billing code used in medical coding. Specifically, it falls under the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) system, which is maintained by the American Medical Association. This code is associated with the evaluation and management of a new patient in an emergency department. The descriptor for 99462 is "Emergency department visit, for the evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and or examination and moderate level of medical decision making."

The "new patient" designation is crucial, indicating that the individual has not received professional services from the physician or another physician of the same specialty and same subspecialty within the past three years. The code encompasses the physician's work in assessing the patient's condition, gathering relevant history, performing a physical examination if medically indicated, and making a decision about the appropriate course of treatment. The "moderate level of medical decision making" refers to the complexity of the diagnostic and management options considered. This level generally involves two or three different management options that have been considered or the amount and/or complexity of the data to be reviewed and/or the risk of complications and/or morbidity or mortality of patient management. This code is used by physicians and other healthcare providers to bill for their services when treating patients in an emergency department setting.