Loading...

    Explore
    • Policy Monitoring
    • Live Policy Feed
    • Billing Codes
    • NPI Medicare & Medicaid
    • Healthcare Providers
    • Health Insurance Payers
    • States
    • Service Lines
    • Taxonomy Codes
    Lookup tools
    • Billing Code Lookup
    • CPT Modifier Lookup
    • Provider Taxonomy Code Lookup
    • Healthcare Provider & Facility Lookup
    • Health Insurance Payer Lookup
    • Payer Contact Directory

    Policy & Benchmark Tools

    • Prior Authorization Lookup
    • Coverage Criteria Lookup
    • Timely Filing Lookup
    • Billing Code Reimbursement Rates
    • Payer Comparison Dashboard
    • Facility Comparison Dashboard
    • All tools

    Company

    • About OpenPayer
    • Data Sources
    • Trek Health
    OpenPayerby Trek Health
    LinkedInYouTube

    © 2026 Trek Health. All rights reserved.

    OpenPayer is built and maintained by Trek Health.

    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesOther Emergency ServicesCPT cpt-99288-medical-direction-two-way-radio-ems-transport
    Ask Trek AI about this page

    CPT 99288: Medical Direction for EMS and ALS via Two-Way Radio

    CPT code 99288 describes medical direction provided by a physician or qualified provider to emergency medical services (EMS) personnel via two-way radio or during patient transport, covering guidance for trauma patients and those requiring advanced life support; service type is medical direction/telephonic medical control and typical site of service is the pre-hospital setting or during transport to/from an emergency department.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Ambulance and Medical Transport Services (Ground, Air and Water) Corporate Medical Policy, Emergency Air/Water Ambulance Services Medical Guideline, Non-Emergent Ambulance Services.

    Customize your policy alerts

    Sign up for cpt 99288 policy alerts

    Get alerted when payer policies referencing 99288 are released or updated.

    Monitor payer policy activity

    Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

    Table of contents

    Progress1 / 7

    Explore openpayer tools

    • Billing CodesCPT, HCPCS, DRG & more
    • Reimbursement RatesCommercial vs. Medicare rate reports
    • Facility ComparisonBeds, revenue & payer mix
    • ProvidersHospitals & facilities
    • PayersPlans & market footprint
    • Taxonomy CodesNUCC specialty codes
    • ModifiersCPT modifiers & usage
    • Prior AuthorizationPA policies by payer & drug
    • Timely FilingFiling deadlines by payer
    • Coverage CriteriaMedical necessity by payer
    • Payer ContactsClaims, PA & appeals contacts
    View all tools

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A paramedic crew responds to a multi-vehicle crash with an adult patient found hypotensive, tachycardic, and with altered mental status. During transport to the emergency department, the EMS team requests real-time medical direction via two-way radio for advanced airway management and fluid resuscitation. The emergency physician provides medical direction, confirms indications for rapid sequence intubation, advises on medication dosing and intravenous fluid strategy, and documents the direction given. The workflow includes initial scene assessment by EMS, radio contact with the on‑call emergency physician, physician-directed advanced life support interventions during transport, and arrival handoff to the ED team. Billing is performed by the physician for medical direction of EMS care using 99288 when requirements for medical direction via two‑way radio for trauma or ALS patients are met.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    99223Initial hospital inpatient consultation, high complexityMay be performed on arrival for continued management after EMS-directed ALS during transport
    31500Intubation, endotracheal, emergency procedureCommonly performed in the field or immediately on arrival when physician-directed airway management was involved during transport
    93010Electrocardiogram, interpretation and report onlyPerformed in parallel for patients with suspected cardiac involvement during EMS care and ED arrival
    92950Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)May be performed by EMS under physician direction during transport for cardiac arrest patients
    94002Ventilator management initiationUsed when invasive ventilatory support is initiated in the ED following physician-directed airway management during transport

    Related Modifiers

    8 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.,…
    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…
    55Modifier –55 indicates the billing provider furnished only postoperative management for a procedure that has a global surgical period. According to AAPC, this modifier is appended to the same CPT…- Use modifier -55 when billing the same CPT surgical code that has a 10- or 90-day global period and you, as a provider other than the original surgeon, furnished ONLY postoperative management (no…
    56Modifier ‑56 indicates the reporting provider furnished only the preoperative management for a surgical procedure and did not perform the intraoperative or postoperative care. It is used in…- Use Modifier -56 when a provider performs only the preoperative management in a split‑care situation (one physician manages preop care while a different physician performs the intraoperative…
    80CPT® Modifier 80 (Assistant Surgeon) is appended to a surgical CPT code when a physician (MD or DO) provides full, continuous assistance throughout the operative procedure. It is intended only for…- Use CPT Modifier -80 when a physician (MD or DO) serves as an assistant surgeon and provides full, continuous assistance throughout the entire operative procedure; append -80 to the surgical CPT…
    82Modifier 82 is appended to a surgical CPT code to indicate that an attending physician acted as an assistant because a qualified resident surgeon was unavailable. In teaching hospitals it documents…- When to use: Append modifier 82 in teaching-hospital settings to indicate a physician served as an assistant surgeon because a qualified resident surgeon was unavailable (includes situations where…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    208D00000X
    207P00000X
    207K00000X
    2084P0800X
    207L00000X
    207ZP0101X
    207XS0106X
    111NX0100X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    27 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A41.9Sepsis, unspecified organism
    E11.9Type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications
    F20.9Schizophrenia, unspecified
    G40.909Epilepsy, unspecified, not intractable, without status epilepticus
    G93.40Encephalopathy, unspecified
    I21.3ST elevation (STEMI) myocardial infarction of unspecified site
    I26.99Other pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale
    I46.9Cardiac arrest, cause unspecified
    I63.9Cerebral infarction, unspecified
    J18.9Pneumonia, unspecified organism

    Showing 1–10 of 27

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Emergency & Medical Transportation1 / 2

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Ambulance and Medical Transport Services (Ground, Air and Water) Corporate Medical Policybcbsvermont2026-10-01
    Emergency Air/Water Ambulance Services Medical GuidelineWPS Health Insurance2026-10-01
    Non-Emergent Ambulance ServicesConnectiCare2026-09-11
    Fixed Wing Air Ambulance TransportCigna2026-08-15
    Air AmbulanceAmbetter Georgia2026-08-01
    Ambulance Services (for New Mexico Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-08-01
    Ambulance Services (for Tennessee Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-08-01
    Clinical Policy: Air AmbulanceAmbetter Nevada2026-08-01
    Air AmbulanceCentene2026-08-01
    Clinical Policy: Air AmbulanceArizona Complete Health2026-08-01

    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.
    Published by

    Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

    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.