CPT 99358: Prolonged Pre- or Post-Encounter Evaluation
Commercial payers pay $122 on average nationally for this procedure.
CPT code 99358 describes a prolonged evaluation and management service provided by a clinician for time spent in preparation for or evaluation of the outcome of treatment that occurs before or after a direct patient encounter; the service type is prolonged E/M time without direct patient contact, and the typical site of service is an office or outpatient setting where administrative or clinical review and documentation occur.
For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring for Diagnosis of Hypertension in Patients with Elevated Office Blood Pressure, Cardiology - Ivabradine, Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT)/Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (CCTA).
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National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National commercial rates for CPT 99358 cluster around BUCA’s average commercial value of $122.20, with notable variation among individual payers. UnitedHealth Group posts the highest central tendency with a median of $149.60 and a mean of $162.30, while Cigna shows a median of $134.00 and a mean of $147.80. Blue Cross Blue Shield’s median sits at $105.30 with a mean of $113.80, and Aetna’s median is $83.00 with a mean of $81.80. BUCA’s median of $113.70 and mean of $122.20 suggest the overall market centers in the low-to-mid $100s for this service.
Dispersion measured as the interquartile range (P75–P25) highlights where rates are tightest and widest: Aetna has the tightest IQR at $56.30 (P75 $100.00 minus P25 $43.70), while UnitedHealth Group shows the widest IQR at $91.90 (P75 $202.30 minus P25 $110.40). Cigna’s IQR is $97.00, Blue Cross Blue Shield’s is $44.10, and BUCA’s is $60.90, indicating meaningful variability in contracted commercial pricing across payers despite a clustered national average.