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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesNon-Face-to-Face Nonphysician Telephone ServicesCPT cpt-98968-nonphysician-telephone-evaluation-21-30-minutes
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    CPT 98968: Telephone Discussion by Nonphysician, 21-30 Minutes

    Medicare pays $36 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 98968 describes a telephone medical discussion by a nonphysician qualified healthcare professional with an established patient, parent, or guardian, addressing a health issue and possible treatment or management; the service type is telephone evaluation/management and the typical site of service is remote/telephonic (patient at home or other non-facility location), covering 21 to 30 minutes of medical discussion.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Lumbar Microdiscectomy, Artificial Cervical Intervertebral Disc, Lumbar Decompression.

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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical scenario involves an established patient who received outpatient care from a nonphysician qualified healthcare professional (for example, a licensed clinical social worker, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner acting within their scope) and needs follow-up management by telephone. Example: a 42-year-old patient with generalized anxiety disorder who had an in-person visit last week now calls with worsening symptoms and medication questions. The nonphysician clinician spends 22 minutes on the phone reviewing symptom progression, assessing medication adherence and side effects, providing brief supportive counseling, and coordinating a medication adjustment with the supervising physician as needed. The workflow: the patient calls or is scheduled for a telephone follow-up; the nonphysician clinician documents start and stop times totaling 21–30 minutes of medical discussion, documents clinical findings and plan in the medical record, confirms the patient is established, and bills 98968 to the payer with any applicable modifier(s).

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    98966Telephone assessment and management service provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional to an established patient, parent, or guardian; 5-10 minutes of medical discussionShorter telephone follow-up often used for brief check-ins instead of 98968 when time is limited
    98967Telephone assessment and management service provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional to an established patient, parent, or guardian; 11-20 minutes of medical discussionUsed when the telephone encounter duration is 11–20 minutes, representing a lower time tier than 98968
    99441Telephone evaluation and management service provided by a physician or other qualified health care professional to an established patient, parent, or guardian; 5-10 minutes of medical discussionPhysician-level telephone service codes sometimes billed instead of nonphysician codes when a physician provides the call
    99442Telephone E/M by physician; 11-20 minutesPhysician-level counterpart for intermediate-length telephone encounters
    99443Telephone E/M by physician; 21-30 minutesPhysician-level counterpart to 98968 when a physician performs the same duration of service

    Related Modifiers

    6 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    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…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    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…
    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…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy CodeSpecialtyNotes
    363A00000XPhysician AssistantA physician assistant is a person who has successfully completed an accredited education program for physician assistant, is licensed by the state and…
    363L00000XNurse Practitioner(1) A registered nurse provider with a graduate degree in nursing prepared for advanced practice involving independent and interdependent decision mak…
    101Y00000XCounselorA provider who is trained and educated in the performance of behavior health services through interpersonal communications and analysis. Training and …
    207Q00000XFamily Medicine PhysicianFamily Medicine is the medical specialty which is concerned with the total health care of the individual and the family. It is the specialty in breadt…
    207XX0004XOrthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgery PhysicianRecognized by several state medical boards as a fellowship subspecialty program of orthopaedic surgery, foot and ankle surgeons deal with adult recons…
    163WD0400XDiabetes Educator Registered NurseNursing Service Providers · Registered Nurse
    261QH0100XHealth Service Clinic/CenterAmbulatory Health Care Facilities · Clinic/Center
    261QR0800XRecovery Care Clinic/CenterAmbulatory Health Care Facilities · Clinic/Center

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Neurology/Neurosurgery1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Lumbar Microdiscectomyuniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Artificial Cervical Intervertebral Discuniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Lumbar Decompressionuniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Nerve Fiber Density Testing (IENFD/ENFD) Coverage CriteriaOscar Health2026-10-01
    Biomarker Testing for Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neurologic DiseasesOscar Health2026-10-01
    Biochemical Markers of Alzheimer Disease and DementiaOscar Health2026-10-01
    Serum Testing For Evidence of Mild Traumatic Brain InjuryOscar Health2026-10-01
    Evaluation of Cerebrospinal Fluid, Urine and Plasma for Alzheimer DiseaseBluecross Idaho2026-09-01
    Prior Authorization of Spinal ProceduresBlue Cross Blue Shield - Rhode Island2026-09-01
    Alzheimer's Disease - Amyloid Beta- Directed Antibodies - KisunlaCigna2026-08-15

    Related Codes

    CPT-98966-TELEPHONE-NONPHYSICIAN-ESTABLISHED-PATIENT-5-10-MINUTES

    CPT 98966: Nonphysician Telephone Evaluation, 5-10 Minutes

    CPT-98967-TELEPHONIC-NONPHYSICIAN-CONSULTATION-11-20-MINUTES

    CPT 98967: Telephone Medical Discussion by Nonphysician (11–20 min)

    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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