AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC) — Question 123

During the course of a hospital admission, Dr. Miller requests an orthopedist see his patient for osteoporosis. The orthopedist sees the patient on day 3 of admission. He performs a history and exam. He evaluates the patient's osteoporosis. He orders a bone density study and prescribes Boniva for the patient.
What CPT® code is reported by the orthopedist?

Answer options

• A. 99223
• B. 99232
• C. 99253
• D. 99221

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct CPT® code is 99221, which corresponds to an initial hospital visit for evaluation and management of a patient with a low complexity problem. The other options, such as 99223 and 99253, indicate higher levels of complexity or are for different types of visits that do not match the scenario described.