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    OpenPayerBilling CodesInpatient Neonatal and Pediatric Critical CareCPT cpt-99471-critical-care-infant-inpatient-initial-evaluation
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    CPT 99471: Initial Critical Care for Infant 29 Days–24 Months

    Medicare pays $689 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 99471 describes the initial evaluation and management critical care service for a critically ill infant or young child aged 29 days through 24 months, provided by a qualified clinician in an inpatient setting; this code represents the clinician’s time and medical decision-making focused on stabilizing and assessing life‑threatening physiologic derangements during the initial critical care encounter.

    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.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 3-month-old infant is admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with progressive respiratory distress, hypotension, and altered perfusion after a suspected sepsis episode. The on-call pediatric critical care physician performs an initial evaluation and management encounter within the inpatient setting: rapid review of prenatal and birth history, focused physical examination, review of resuscitation status, assessment of airway and ventilatory needs, urgent bedside testing (blood gas, point-of-care glucose, bedside echocardiography if available), initiation of vasoactive support or fluid resuscitation as indicated, and coordination with nursing, respiratory therapy, and neonatal specialists for ongoing stabilization. This encounter documents the infant’s age between 29 days and 24 months, the critical impairments of one or more vital organ systems (respiratory and circulatory), time spent on complex decision-making, and the immediate plan for monitoring, transfer to higher acuity care within the hospital, or continued PICU management.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    99472Subsequent intensive care, per day, for the critically ill or critically injured infant or young child, 29 days through 24 months of ageReported for daily subsequent management after the initial 99471 encounter.
    99468Initial hospital care, per day, for the critically ill or critically injured neonate (<28 days of age)Related when a younger neonate (under 29 days) requires similar initial critical evaluation; distinguishes age-based reporting.
    99291Critical care, evaluation and management of the critically ill or critically injured patient; first 30–74 minutesMay be used for critically ill patients of other ages; not typical for infants 29 days–24 months but appears in workflow when age-specific codes are not applicable.
    36556Insertion of non-tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter; age <5 yearsOften performed after initial evaluation when central access for vasoactive infusions is required.
    36561Replacement and removal of tunneled central venous catheter, with subcutaneous portMay be performed during the inpatient course following initial critical evaluation when long-term access becomes necessary.
    94060Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) initial application and management for neonates/infantsPerformed when the initial evaluation identifies respiratory failure requiring noninvasive ventilatory support.

    Related Modifiers

    11 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.,…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    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…

    Showing 1–10 of 11

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    2080P0206X
    207K00000X
    2080S0010X
    363LX0001X
    207VB0002X
    207ZC0006X
    3336C0002X
    2279P3900X

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Emergency & Medical Transportation1 / 3

    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

    Related Codes

    CPT-99468-INITIAL-NEONATAL-CRITICAL-CARE-EVALUATION

    CPT 99468: Initial Neonatal Critical Care Evaluation

    CPT-99469-SUBSEQUENT-NEONATAL-CRITICAL-CARE-EM-VM

    CPT 99469: Subsequent Neonatal Critical Care, <28 Days

    CPT-99472-INPATIENT-FOLLOW-UP-CRITICALLY-ILL-INFANT-YOUNG-CHILD

    CPT 99472: Follow-Up Critical Care for Critically Ill Infant or Young Child

    CPT-99475-INITIAL-CRITICAL-CARE-CHILD-2-TO-5-INPATIENT

    CPT 99475: Initial Evaluation and Management of Critically Ill Child (2–5 yrs)

    CPT-99476-PEDIATRIC-CRITICAL-CARE-FOLLOW-UP-INPATIENT

    CPT 99476: Follow-up Care for Critically Ill Child, Age 2–5 Years

    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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