99238

🎯 CPT Code 99238 Documentation & Billing Guide

Last Updated: February 2026
Status: 2025 Medicare Fee Schedule Compliant

---

CPT 99238 - Hospital Discharge Management (< 30 min)

Description & Explanation: Used to report the total duration of time spent by the physician on the date of discharge for a patient who was admitted on a previous date.

• Time: 30 minutes or less.

• Includes: Final exam, discussion of hospital stay, instructions for continuing care to all relevant caregivers, and preparation of discharge records (prescriptions, referral forms, discharge summary).

• Face-to-Face: Does not require continuous face-to-face time; reports total time spent on the discharge date.

Code Tree:

• Evaluation and Management

  • Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care

    • Discharge Services

      • 99238: Discharge management, 30 min or less

Technical Data:

• WRVU (2025): ~2.42

• Global Period: XXX

• Assistant Payable: No

Bundling & Edits:

• Exclusive: Cannot be billed if the patient was admitted on the same day (use 99234-99236).

• Exclusive: Only the attending physician (or physician of record) typically bills the discharge code. Consultants bill a subsequent hospital visit (99231-99233) on the discharge date if they see the patient.

Clinical Examples:

1. Routine Discharge: Patient recovering from pneumonia. Brief check, scripts written, instructions given. Total time 20 minutes.

2. Post-Op Discharge: Surgeon clears patient home day 2 after surgery (if not in global period, or if billing for complication).