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99393

Initial preventive medicine, age 40-64 years, new patient

Evaluation and Management Preventive Medicine Services N/A (preventive service) Complexity 5.08 Total RVUs
Quick Reference
Comprehensive preventive medicine evaluation for new patients age 40-64

Audit Defense & Denial Intelligence

Research-based denial patterns from OrbDoc Bill Analyzer

Moderate overall risk
Top issues: Patient classification error - new vs. established

1. Patient classification error - new vs. established

Common

99393 is for established patient preventive, late childhood (5-11 years). Denied when patient should be coded as new patient (99383 - hasn't been seen in 3+ years). The 3-year rule applies: if patient hasn't been seen by any physician of same specialty in same group practice in past 3 years, they're 'new' for billing purposes. Common when child changes doctors within same practice.

Common Causes

  • Child hasn't been seen in 3+ years - should use new patient code 99383
  • Child switched to different doctor within same practice (still considered established)
  • Previous visits were with different specialty in same practice (may be new)

Resolution Strategy

Verify last visit date by same specialty provider. If within 3 years, appeal as established. If 3+ years, accept new patient code (99383). If different specialty saw child, may qualify as new.

Appeal Success: Medium
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Relative Value Units (RVUs)

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Work RVU
2.82
Physician effort
PE RVU
2.08
Practice expense
MP RVU
0.18
Malpractice
Total RVU
5.08
Combined value
Dollar reimbursement rates vary by locality and payer. RVUs shown for relative comparison only.
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Clinical Information

When to Use

Comprehensive preventive medicine evaluation for new patients age 40-64

Time Requirement
Typically 50-60 minutes for comprehensive new patient preventive visit

Common Scenarios

Initial comprehensive physical for new middle-aged patient
Baseline cardiovascular risk assessment for new patient
Comprehensive cancer screening evaluation
First visit establishing preventive care relationship
Executive health examination for corporate patient

Documentation Requirements

  • Comprehensive age and gender-appropriate history including detailed family history
  • Complete physical examination with attention to age-appropriate findings
  • Comprehensive cancer screening discussion and orders
  • Cardiovascular risk assessment and stratification
  • Baseline laboratory and imaging studies coordination

Coding Guidelines

Common Modifiers

25 Significant, separately identifiable E/M for problem-based visit on same day
33 Preventive services (payer-specific)

Bundling Rules

  • Cannot be billed with established patient preventive codes
  • Can be billed with problem-based E/M using modifier 25
  • Highest RVU preventive code due to age range and new patient status

Exclusions

  • 99201-99215 (problem-based office visits without modifier 25)
  • 99383-99387 (established patient preventive codes)
  • 99392, 99394 (different age ranges)

Coding Notes

Highest value preventive medicine code for adults
Extensive screening appropriate for this age group
Document comprehensive nature of visit and new patient status

Clinical scenarios

Initial comprehensive physical for new middle-aged patient
Initial comprehensive physical for new middle-aged patient
When to use:Comprehensive preventive medicine evaluation for new patients age 40-64
  • Comprehensive age and gender-appropriate history including detailed family history
  • Complete physical examination with attention to age-appropriate findings
  • Comprehensive cancer screening discussion and orders
Pitfalls:Patient classification error - new vs. established
Baseline cardiovascular risk assessment for new patient
Baseline cardiovascular risk assessment for new patient
When to use:Comprehensive preventive medicine evaluation for new patients age 40-64
  • Comprehensive age and gender-appropriate history including detailed family history
  • Complete physical examination with attention to age-appropriate findings
  • Comprehensive cancer screening discussion and orders
Pitfalls:Patient classification error - new vs. established
Comprehensive cancer screening evaluation
Comprehensive cancer screening evaluation
When to use:Comprehensive preventive medicine evaluation for new patients age 40-64
  • Comprehensive age and gender-appropriate history including detailed family history
  • Complete physical examination with attention to age-appropriate findings
  • Comprehensive cancer screening discussion and orders
Pitfalls:Patient classification error - new vs. established

Who are you?

Code Details

Code 99393
Category Evaluation and Management
Subcategory Preventive Medicine Services
Total RVUs 5.08

Medicare Pricing

PFS
2025 National Rate
$101.24
Facility
$70.19
Non-Facility
$101.24
RVU Breakdown
Work RVU:1.50PE RVU:1.55MP RVU:0.08Total RVU:3.13CF:$32.3465Global Days:XXX
OPPS Details
Status:E1Copayment:$0.00
Physician Fee Schedule: Medicare pays physicians based on Relative Value Units (RVUs) multiplied by a conversion factor.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is CPT code 99393?

CPT 99393 is the billing code for "Initial preventive medicine, age 40-64 years, new patient". Comprehensive preventive medicine evaluation for new patients age 40-64

How much does Medicare pay for CPT 99393?

Medicare pays approximately $101.24 for CPT 99393 (national average). Actual payment varies by geographic location due to GPCI adjustments. Hospital and commercial insurance rates are typically 2-4x higher than Medicare rates.

What are the RVUs for CPT 99393?

CPT 99393 has a total RVU of 5.08, broken down as: Work RVU 2.82, Practice Expense RVU 2.08, and Malpractice RVU 0.18. RVUs (Relative Value Units) determine Medicare reimbursement rates.

Why was my 99393 claim denied?

The most common denial reason for CPT 99393 is "Patient classification error - new vs. established". 99393 is for established patient preventive, late childhood (5-11 years). Denied when patient should be coded as new patient (99383 - hasn't been seen in 3+ years). The 3-year rule applies: if patient hasn't been seen by any physician of same specialty in same group practice in past 3 years, they're 'new' for billing purposes. Common when child changes doctors within same practice. Common causes include: Child hasn't been seen in 3+ years - should use new patient code 99383; Child switched to different doctor within same practice (still considered established). Appeal success rate is approximately 40-60%.

What documentation is required for CPT 99393?

Key documentation requirements for CPT 99393 include: Comprehensive age and gender-appropriate history including detailed family history; Complete physical examination with attention to age-appropriate findings; Comprehensive cancer screening discussion and orders; Cardiovascular risk assessment and stratification. Missing or incomplete documentation is a leading cause of claim denials for this code.

Can CPT 99393 be billed with other codes?

Bundling considerations for CPT 99393: Cannot be billed with established patient preventive codes. Can be billed with problem-based E/M using modifier 25 Use an NCCI bundling checker to verify specific code combinations before billing.

What modifiers are commonly used with CPT 99393?

Common modifiers for CPT 99393 include: 25 (Significant, separately identifiable E/M for problem-based visit on same day), 33 (Preventive services (payer-specific)). Modifiers indicate special circumstances and can affect reimbursement or prevent claim denials.

What is the time requirement for CPT 99393?

The typical time requirement for CPT 99393 is Typically 50-60 minutes for comprehensive new patient preventive visit. Time-based codes require documentation of the actual time spent providing the service.

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