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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesNew or Established PatientCPT cpt-99245-office-outpatient-consultation-high-complexity
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    CPT 99245: Office or Outpatient Consultation, High Complexity

    Commercial payers pay $251 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 99245 describes an office or other outpatient consultation for a new or established patient that involves a high level of medical decision making or at least 55 minutes of total provider time on a single date; the service type is an evaluation and management consultation provided in an outpatient or office setting and is used when comprehensive assessment and complex clinical decision-making are required.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT)/Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (CCTA), Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment, Biomarkers for Myocardial Infarction and Chronic Heart Failure.

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    National Reimbursement Benchmarks

    Commercial rates for CPT 99245 center around a BUCA average commercial rate of $250.90, which serves as a useful midpoint for national commercial reimbursement. Among the individual payers, UnitedHealth Group has the highest mean at $315.50 and Cigna follows at $268.90; Blue Cross Blue Shield’s mean is $241.80 and Aetna’s is $195.80. These means illustrate that payer-level commercial reimbursements vary substantially above and below the BUCA average.

    Dispersion measured by the interquartile range (P75 minus P25) highlights variation in contract pricing: UnitedHealth Group’s IQR is $155.90 (from $214.50 to $390.40), Cigna’s IQR is $141.00, Blue Cross Blue Shield’s IQR is $52.00, BUCA’s IQR is $118.80, and Aetna’s IQR is $89.00. Blue Cross Blue Shield exhibits the tightest IQR at $52.00, while UnitedHealth Group shows the widest IQR at $155.90, indicating the largest spread in middle-50% commercial rates.

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    National Payer Mean Reimbursement Rates

    State Reimbursement Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 51

    Rate by payer

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 52-year-old woman is referred by her primary care physician for an outpatient consultation regarding recurrent, severe headaches and new-onset fatigue. The consulting physician is an internist in an office-based practice who performs a comprehensive history, focused physical and neurologic examination, reviews prior records and recent laboratory results, and orders targeted imaging. The visit involves a high level of medical decision making with discussion of differential diagnoses (migraine, medication-overuse headache, thyroid disease, anemia), review of prior treatments, coordination of care with neurology and primary care, and formulation of a detailed diagnostic and management plan. Total provider time spent on the date of service, including face-to-face time, record review, telephone coordination, and documentation, meets or exceeds 55 minutes, supporting billing with 99245.

    Typical workflow steps:

    • Referral receipt and chart review before patient arrival

    • Extended face-to-face evaluation and focused examination

    • Review and interpretation of prior imaging and lab results

    • High complexity medical decision making and care coordination

    • Ordering of further diagnostic studies (e.g., MRI, CBC, thyroid panel)

    • Detailed documentation and communication of recommendations to referring clinician

    Related CPT Codes

    Related Modifiers

    10 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.,…
    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…
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    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…
    57CPT® modifier -57 (“Decision for Surgery”) is appended to an Evaluation and Management (E/M) service when that encounter results in the initial decision to perform a major surgery (a procedure with a…- Use modifier 57 when an E/M service provided by the same provider (or same tax ID) on the day of or the day before a major surgical procedure (90‑day global period) results in the initial decision…
    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…
    24Modifier 24 denotes an unrelated evaluation and management (E/M) service performed by the same physician or qualified healthcare professional during a postoperative global period. Per CPT guidance,…- Use modifier 24 when you report an evaluation and management (E/M) service performed by the same physician or same-specialty group during a procedure’s postoperative global period that is unrelated…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy CodeSpecialtyNotes
    207R00000XInternal Medicine PhysicianA physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and the hospital, managing both common and complex illness of adolescents, adults…
    208D00000XGeneral Practice PhysicianA physician who specializes in the general practice of diagnosing, treating, and managing patients with a variety of illnesses and conditions.
    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…
    208000000XPediatrics PhysicianA pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. Care encompasses a broad spectru…
    207V00000XObstetrics & Gynecology PhysicianAn obstetrician/gynecologist possesses special knowledge, skills and professional capability in the medical and surgical care of the female reproducti…
    207LP2900XPain Medicine (Anesthesiology) PhysicianAn anesthesiologist who provides a high level of care, either as a primary physician or consultant, for patients experiencing problems with acute, chr…
    261QE0002XEmergency Care Clinic/CenterAmbulatory Health Care Facilities · Clinic/Center
    261QX0200XOncology Clinic/CenterAn entity, facility, or distinct part of a facility providing diagnostic, treatment and prescriptive services related to cancerous conditions. Servic…

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Cardiology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT)/Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (CCTA)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    Cardiovascular Disease Risk AssessmentOscar Health2026-10-01
    Biomarkers for Myocardial Infarction and Chronic Heart FailureOscar Health2026-10-01
    Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction for Diagnostic Cardiovascular ProceduresBlue Cross Blue Shield - Maine2026-10-01
    Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessmentblue cross blue shield - louisiana2026-09-15
    Cardiovascular Disease Risk AssessmentBlue Cross Blue Shield - New Mexico2026-09-04
    Computed Tomography to Detect Coronary Artery CalcificationBluecross Idaho2026-09-01
    Intracoronary Drug Delivery Balloon ProceduresBlue Cross Blue Shield - Rhode Island2026-09-01
    Cardiac Imaging Guidelinesevicore2026-09-01
    Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Stroke PreventionAmbetter Georgia2026-08-26

    Related Codes

    CPT-99281-EMERGENCY-DEPARTMENT-MINOR-VISIT

    CPT 99281: Emergency Department Visit, Minimal Complexity

    CPT-99282-EMERGENCY-DEPARTMENT-EVALUATION-STRAIGHTFORWARD-DECISION-MAKING

    CPT 99282: Emergency Department Visit, Straightforward Complexity

    CPT-99283-EMERGENCY-DEPARTMENT-EVALUATION-LOW-DECISION-MAKING

    CPT 99283: Emergency Department E/M Visit, Low Complexity

    CPT-99284-EMERGENCY-DEPARTMENT-EVALUATION-MODERATE-COMPLEXITY

    CPT 99284: Emergency Department Visit, Moderate Complexity

    CPT-99285-EMERGENCY-DEPARTMENT-EVALUATION-HIGH-DECISION-MAKING

    CPT 99285: Emergency Department Visit, High Complexity

    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.

    CPT Code
    Description
    Relationship to This Procedure
    99244Office consultation for a new or established patient, typically 60 minutesSlightly higher time/MDM level than 99245; used for prolonged, intensive consultations in the outpatient setting

    | 99243 | Office consultation for a new or established patient, typically 40 minutes | Lower time/MDM level than 99245; alternative when the visit does not meet the higher time or complexity threshold

    | 99213 | Established patient office or other outpatient visit, typically 15 minutes | Used for lower complexity follow-up visits after the initial consultation

    | 99214 | Established patient office or other outpatient visit, typically 25 minutes | Used for moderate complexity follow-up visits that do not meet consultation-level complexity/time

    | 99354 | Prolonged service in the office or other outpatient setting requiring direct patient contact beyond the usual service; first hour | Use when additional face-to-face prolonged time beyond the typical E/M is provided in conjunction with 99245 and documentation supports prolonged service