Wiki Incidental Findings and modifier -25

In a recent webinar the speaker brought up the inability to bill a separate E/M for incidental findings (not related to complaint from patient). Does anyone have additional information or resources to support this?

Ndebien
If a Est or New patient arrives for treatment and they have ongoing issue or news medical problem and provider assigns meds this would be the primary dx code. However on treating the patient something else is discovered maybe a skin problem, UTI, cut on foot, or new medical problem treated same day this can be given more you should add dx codes in order of treatment importance. Actually the provider would give you list of dx codes. You only add modifier 25 if the patient gets additional ancillary services...injection, xray, bx, medical procedure or counseling or laceration repair for new problem. Then you can add modifier 25 to the Eval mgnt cpt code. Documentation considers that there needs to be evidence in the body of the record the condition required increased clinical care or monitoring during the admitted episode in order for the condition to be coded & add modifier 25. Also if patient comes in for let us say flu or sore throat or pain in leg then same visit physician checks her he finds out she maybe pregnant to, last dx code can be Z33.1 Incidental findings for prego lady..

If pt gets xray or lab and it is "abnormal" per the results from pathologist or radiologist see dx block R90-R94.Usually these providers will document abnormal lab or xray results or definitive dx.
I hope helped you understand difference in abnormal results vs incidental findings.
Lady T