In simple words: A nurse or other healthcare professional visits a new mother and her baby at home to check on their health, teach them about caring for the baby, and answer questions.The visit might also include things like wound care, checking the baby for jaundice, and making sure the home is safe.

This CPT code, 99501, represents a home visit by a qualified healthcare professional (e.g., registered nurse) to a postpartum patient and her newborn for assessment and follow-up care.The visit includes evaluating the patient's and newborn's health status, providing education on breastfeeding, infant care, recognizing signs of illness, assessing the home environment for safety, and reviewing care plans.Additional services may include wound care (episiotomy or C-section), evaluating medical equipment needs, scheduling immunizations, and referring to additional services such as parenting classes or social work.

Example 1: A registered nurse visits a postpartum patient at home three days after delivery to assess her incisional healing from a C-section, educate her on breastfeeding techniques, and provide infant care instructions., A home health aide visits a patient and her newborn daily to assist with infant care and help the mother recover from a vaginal delivery complicated by an episiotomy., A nurse practitioner visits a patient and newborn at home to follow up on jaundice detected in the infant. She provides education, assesses the need for medical equipment and arranges for follow up with a physician.

Detailed documentation should include patient and newborn's vital signs, assessment of incisional healing (if applicable), breastfeeding status and lactation support provided, infant feeding and weight monitoring, home safety assessment, education provided, and any identified conditions requiring further medical attention or referral to other services. Documentation must include specific clinical findings and justify the medical necessity of the visit.

** This code is for services provided by a non-physician healthcare provider.Physician services should be billed using the appropriate E/M codes.Specific documentation requirements may vary by payer. Always refer to the most up-to-date CPT codebook and payer guidelines.