Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) is implementing the American Medical Association (AMA) revisions to the Evaluation and Management (E&M) office visit CPT® 99201-99215 code descriptor and documentation standards. The code revisions are effective January 1, 2021.
The AMA published information indicating that the revisions address the continuing problem of administrative burden for physicians in nearly every specialty. Documentation for E&M 99201-99215 office visit codes will now be centered around how physicians and qualified health care practitioners (QHPs) think and take care of patients based on medical necessity and not on mandatory standards that encouraged copy/pasting, checking boxes and/or re-recording of history and physical exam.
The scope of the AMA’s revisions is for CPT® codes 99201-99215 only. A summary of the revisions can be located at the AMA’s CPT Evaluation and Management page.
Resources:
- CPT® E/M Office & Prolonged Services Code and Guideline Changes (PDF)
- CPT Revised MDM Grid (PDF)
- 10 Tips to Prepare your Practice for E/M Office Visit Changes
- AMA CPT Evaluation and Management
- Implementing CPT Evaluation and Management (E/M) Revisions
- How 2021 E/M Coding Changes Will Reshape Physician Note
AMA Educational Modules: