2025 CPT code 99082
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Medicine - Miscellaneous Medicine Services Medicine Services and Procedures > Special Services, Procedures and Reports > Miscellaneous Medicine Services Feed
Unusual travel (e.g., transportation and escort of patient).
Modifiers may be applicable depending on the specific circumstances of the service.Consult the CPT manual for appropriate modifier usage.This code should not have modifier 51 appended.
Medical necessity is paramount for reimbursement.The travel must be justified by the urgency and the severity of the patient's condition, demonstrating that alternative care settings would have been unsafe or inappropriate. The documentation must convincingly support this.
The physician accompanies the patient during transport or directly transports the patient. The physician's clinical responsibility includes providing necessary medical care and supervision during transport.
- Medicine Services and Procedures > Special Services, Procedures and Reports > Miscellaneous Medicine Services
- 99000-99082 (Special Services, Procedures and Reports)
In simple words: This code is used when a doctor has to travel farther than usual to take care of a patient, like going with them in an ambulance or on a medical plane.It's only for trips that are really outside the normal routine of seeing patients.
CPT code 99082,Unusual Travel, is reported when a physician travels to facilitate patient care in a manner not typically required, such as accompanying a patient during transport via ambulance or medical flight.This code should only be used when the travel is unusual and directly related to the provision of medical services.It does not cover routine travel to and from the office or usual place of practice.
Example 1: A physician accompanies a critically ill patient via helicopter from a rural hospital to a tertiary care center for emergency treatment., A physician travels to a patient's remote home to provide urgent care that cannot be postponed or safely performed via telehealth. , A physician escorts a patient with severe anxiety during a transport to alleviate their distress.
Detailed documentation is crucial for reimbursement. It should include:* Reason for unusual travel (medical necessity).* Patient's condition requiring transport.* Destination of travel and the rationale for that specific location.* Details about the transport (e.g., ambulance, private vehicle, aircraft).* Time spent traveling and providing care during transit.* Services rendered during the travel.* Supporting medical records demonstrating the need for unusual transport.
** Many payers are reluctant to reimburse for this code because they already reimburse the transport company for patient care.Strong documentation justifying the medical necessity of the physician's presence during transport is essential for successful reimbursement.Be prepared to provide comprehensive documentation.Reimbursement is often highly dependent on the payer and specific circumstances.Always consult with your payer for local coverage determination (LCD) and medical policy.
- Revenue Code: Y1 (OTHER - MEDICARE FEE SCHEDULE)
- RVU: Information on RVUs is not available in the provided sources.Consult the AMA's CPT codebook or other relevant resources for this data.
- Global Days: Not applicable. This is not a surgical procedure.
- Payment Status: Active but reimbursement varies widely depending on payer and circumstances. Often requires substantial supporting documentation.
- Modifier TC rule: Not applicable for this code. This is not a procedure with a technical component.
- Fee Schedule: Historical fee schedule information is not included in provided data. Consult payer-specific fee schedules or other relevant reimbursement sources.
- Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and other specialties where unusual transport might be necessary.
- Place of Service:This code can be used in various places of service, depending on the context, including ambulance, aircraft, patient's home (if the visit is at the patient's home), or other locations where the unusual travel occurs.