What type of care does the code 99205 represent?

The code 99205 represents a new patient office visit. This code is part of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding system used to bill for medical services and is specifically designated for encounters with patients who have not received care from the physician or practice within the last three years.

A new patient office visit typically involves a comprehensive evaluation and management service, where the physician performs a detailed history, examination, and medical decision-making. The criteria for using this particular code also includes the requirement for a certain level of complexity in the medical decision-making process, ensuring that the service being billed aligns with the time and effort expended by the healthcare provider.

In contrast, established patient office visits are denoted by different codes that account for patients who have previously received care from the same physician or practice. Inpatient care and observation care codes belong to different categories of services entirely, focusing on services provided in hospital settings rather than in an outpatient office context. Understanding this differentiation is crucial for proper coding and billing practices.