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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesAcupuncture ProceduresCPT cpt-98008-new-patient-audio-only-evaluation-and-management
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    CPT 98008: New Patient Audio-Only Evaluation and Management

    CPT code 98008 describes a new patient evaluation and management visit delivered using synchronous audio-only technology that requires more than 10 minutes of medical discussion and involves straightforward medical decision making or at least 15 minutes of total provider time on a single date; service type: telehealth—audio-only synchronous E/M visit, typical site of service: remote/virtual (patient location variable, provider remote).

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Community-Based Mobile Crisis Response Services, Day Habilitation, New Jersey Medicaid Supplemental Clinical Criteria.

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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 48-year-old patient with a new onset of intermittent chest pain and palpitations calls the primary care clinic requesting an evaluation. The clinic schedules a synchronous audio-only visit because the patient lacks video-capable technology and cannot travel due to childcare obligations. The provider conducts a focused new-patient evaluation by phone, documents a medically relevant history of present illness, reviews past medical history and medications, performs a limited risk assessment for acute coronary syndrome, and engages in more than 10 minutes of medical discussion. The visit involves straightforward medical decision making (e.g., assessment of risk, ordering an ECG and labs, providing return precautions, and arranging urgent in-person testing). The provider documents total encounter time of 15 minutes or more on the same date and bills 98008 for a new patient synchronous audio-only E/M visit.

    Typical clinical workflow:

    • Patient calls or is triaged by nursing and is identified as needing a provider audio-only evaluation.

    • The provider completes identity verification, documents consent for telephonic encounter, collects focused history, reviews medications/allergies, and assesses acute symptoms.

    • The provider performs clinical decision making: orders diagnostic testing (ECG, troponin), provides triage instructions, and schedules an in-person follow-up or urgent evaluation as indicated.

    • The provider documents: reason for visit, history, assessment, plan, time spent on the encounter (total time ≥15 minutes), and the use of synchronous audio-only technology.

    • Billing staff submits claim using 98008 with any applicable modifier(s) per payer and policy.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    99441Telephone evaluation and management service by a physician or other qualified healthcare professional, 5-10 minutes of medical discussionMay be used for shorter audio-only telephone E/M visits when total medical discussion is less than 10 minutes; alternative for audio-only services shorter than 98008 criteria.
    99442Telephone evaluation and management service by a physician or other qualified healthcare professional, 11-20 minutes of medical discussionUsed for audio-only telephone E/M visits with 11–20 minutes of medical discussion; overlaps with 98008 when payer allows telephone codes instead of telehealth-specific codes.
    99443Telephone evaluation and management service by a physician or other qualified healthcare professional, 21-30 minutes of medical discussionUsed when telephone medical discussion exceeds 20 minutes; may follow or replace 98008 depending on payer rules and documentation of time.

    Related Modifiers

    7 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    95Modifier 95 indicates that a service was provided via synchronous, real‑time audio‑video telehealth rather than in‑person. Per CMS, AAPC and professional associations, append modifier 95 to claim…- Use modifier 95 to indicate a service was furnished via synchronous, real‑time audiovisual telehealth (a live audio‑video conference between patient and provider) rather than in‑person. - Pair…
    93Modifier 93 denotes that a billed service was delivered synchronously via audio-only telecommunications (real-time telephone or other audio-only system). The AMA added modifier 93 in CPT Appendix A…- When to use: Apply modifier -93 when a synchronous, real-time, two-way patient–provider encounter is conducted entirely via audio-only (telephone or other real-time interactive audio-only…
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    23Modifier -23 (Unusual Anesthesia) is used on anesthesia service CPT codes when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia…- Use modifier -23 only on anesthesia CPT codes (00100–01999) when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia because of…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207Q00000X
    207R00000X
    207V00000X
    208D00000X
    363A00000X
    163WP0200X
    251S00000X
    343800000X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    25 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    E11.9Type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications
    F32.9Major depressive disorder, single episode, unspecified
    F41.9Anxiety disorder, unspecified
    G43.909Migraine, unspecified, not intractable, without status migrainosus
    H10.9Unspecified conjunctivitis
    H66.90Otitis media, unspecified, unspecified ear
    I10Essential (primary) hypertension
    I20.9Angina pectoris, unspecified
    J02.9Acute pharyngitis, unspecified
    J06.9Acute upper respiratory infection, unspecified

    Showing 1–10 of 25

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Psychiatry/Behavioral Health1 / 2

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Community-Based Mobile Crisis Response ServicesCalifornia Department of Health Care Services2027-04-01
    Day Habilitationfallon_community_health_plan_inc2027-01-01
    New Jersey Medicaid Supplemental Clinical CriteriaOptum2026-11-01
    Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum DisorderCareSource Georgia2026-10-01
    Behavioral Health: Residential/Sub-Acute Withdrawal Management (Detoxification)Premera Bluecross2026-10-01
    Behavioral Health: Residential/Sub-Acute Withdrawal Management (Detoxification)Premera Bluecross2026-10-01
    Residential Mental Health Treatment FacilitiesProvidence Health Plan2026-10-01
    Medical NecessityUnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Behavioral Health: Residential/Sub-Acute Withdrawal Management (Detoxification)Premera Bluecross2026-10-01
    Intravenous Ketamine for Treatment-Resistant DepressionMass General Brigham Health Plan2026-10-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-97810-ACUPUNCTURE-INITIAL-15-MINUTE-TREATMENT

    CPT 97810: Acupuncture, Initial 15-Minute Needling

    CPT-97811-ACUPUNCTURE-ADDITIONAL-15-MINUTE-CONTINUATION

    CPT 97811: Acupuncture, Each Additional 15 Minutes

    CPT-97813-ELECTROACUPUNCTURE-INITIAL-15-MINUTE-TREATMENT

    CPT 97813: Electroacupuncture, 15-Minute Initial Treatment

    CPT-97814-ACUPUNCTURE-ELECTRICAL-STIMULATION-ADDITIONAL-15-MIN

    CPT 97814: Acupuncture with Electrical Stimulation, Additional 15 Minutes

    CPT-98002-NEW-PATIENT-TELEHEALTH-EVALUATION-MODERATE-COMPLEXITY

    CPT 98002: New Patient Telehealth E/M, Moderate Complexity

    CPT-98003-TELEMEDICINE-NEW-PATIENT-EVALUATION-HIGH-COMPLEXITY-60MIN

    CPT 98003: New Patient Telehealth E/M, High Complexity, 60+ Minutes

    CPT-98005-ESTABLISHED-PATIENT-TELEHEALTH-EVALUATION-20-MINUTES

    CPT 98005: Established Patient Telehealth E/M, Low MDM, ≥20 Minutes

    CPT-98016-VIRTUAL-BRIEF-EVALUATION-ESTABLISHED-PATIENT

    CPT 98016: Virtual Check‑in for Established Patient, 5–10 Minutes

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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    Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

    99203Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of a new patient, typically 30 minutesMay be used for an in-person new patient E/M when the audio-only encounter leads to an in-person follow-up or conversion to face-to-face care; documents more extensive visit content.
    93000Electrocardiogram, routine ECG with at least 12 leads; tracing, interpretation and reportCommon diagnostic test ordered after 98008 audio-only triage for chest pain; performed in-person following telephonic evaluation.
    36415Collection of venous blood by venipunctureCommon ancillary service ordered after an audio-only triage visit when labs (e.g., troponin) are indicated.