Which code is used as the first-listed code in preventive care visits that include immunizations?

• A. Immunization code
• B. Office visit code
• C. Wellness code
• D. Preventive care code

Answer: (D)

When a preventive care visit includes immunizations, the main code you start with is the preventive medicine evaluation and management code. This reflects the encounter’s primary purpose—preventive care for the patient. Immunizations are reported separately with their own CPT codes for the vaccine product and the administration, and they are added after the first-listed preventive care code. That sequencing shows the visit’s main objective first, while still capturing the immunization services performed during the same encounter. So, the first-listed code being the preventive care code makes sense because it identifies the principal service provided, whereas immunization codes describe additional procedures rather than the primary need of the visit.