Which CPT code would be appropriate for Dr Christian Conover on Day of Service August 15?

• A. 99221
• B. 99231
• C. 99212
• D. 99223

Answer: (A)

Understanding how to code the Day of Service on the first day of an inpatient admission is key. For inpatient hospital care, there are two categories: the initial hospital encounter on the day of admission and subsequent hospital visits on later days. The initial encounter on the admission day uses codes in the 99221–99223 range, with 99221 representing the lowest level of service and 99223 the highest, determined by the amount of history, exam, and medical decision making documented. When the documentation on the admission day doesn’t show high complexity, the lowest level is chosen.

In this scenario, Dr. Christian Conover on Day of Service August 15 refers to the first hospital visit on the day of admission, so the appropriate code is the initial hospital care code at the lowest level, 99221. The other options don’t fit: 99231 is used for subsequent inpatient days after admission; 99212 is an outpatient office visit for an established patient and not hospital-based; 99223 would be used only if the documentation supported high complexity on the admission day.