Does Your Insurance Reimburse for the Physician Standby Service?  

Category: Coding

The physician standby services (CPT code 99360) coding appears to perplex and confuse many coders. It is important to understand the guidelines for coding the standby service. Code 99360 is used to report physician standby service that is requested by another physician and that involves prolonged physician attendance without direct (face-to-face) patient contact. The physician may not be providing care or services to other patients during this period.

CPT description

99360 - Physician standby service, requiring prolonged physician attendance, each 30 minutes (e.g., operative standby, standby for frozen section, for cesarean/high risk delivery, for monitoring EEG)

Code 99360 is used to report the total duration of time spent by a physician on a given date on standby. Standby service of less than 30 minutes total duration on a given date is not report...