Hospitalists are the backbone of inpatient care—managing admissions, daily rounds, critical care, discharges, and transitions. With a fast-paced workflow and frequent handoffs, hospitalist billing needs to be precise and well-documented.
This guide includes the most commonly used Hospitalist CPT codes and modifiers for 2025, plus ICD-10 codes and billing tips to help prevent denials and ensure full reimbursement.
Initial Hospital Care
CPT Code | Description |
99221 | Initial hospital care, level 1 |
99222 | Initial hospital care, level 2 |
99223 | Initial hospital care, level 3 |
Subsequent Hospital Visits (Daily Rounds)
CPT Code | Description |
99231 | Subsequent hospital care, level 1 |
99232 | Subsequent hospital care, level 2 |
99233 | Subsequent hospital care, level 3 |
Hospital Discharge Services
CPT Code | Description |
99238 | Hospital discharge, 30 minutes or less |
99239 | Hospital discharge, more than 30 minutes |
Observation Care
CPT Code | Description |
99234 | Observation/inpatient same day, level 1 |
99235 | Observation/inpatient same day, level 2 |
99236 | Observation/inpatient same day, level 3 |
99218–99220 | Initial observation care |
99224–99226 | Subsequent observation care |
99217 | Observation discharge |
Critical Care Services
CPT Code | Description |
99291 | Critical care, first 30–74 minutes |
99292 | Each additional 30 minutes |
Transition of Care & Prolonged Services
CPT Code | Description |
99495 | TCM, moderate complexity, seen within 14 days |
99496 | TCM, high complexity, seen within 7 days |
99417 | Prolonged E/M time beyond 75 minutes |
Modifiers Commonly Used by Hospitalists
Modifier | Description |
-25 | Significant, separately identifiable E/M on same day |
-24 | Unrelated E/M during post-op period |
-AI | Principal physician of record |
-57 | Decision for surgery |
-76 | Repeat service by same provider |
-95 | Telehealth service (if applicable) |
Common ICD-10 Codes Used in Hospital Medicine
ICD-10 Code | Description |
J18.9 | Pneumonia, unspecified |
I10 | Essential hypertension |
N17.9 | Acute kidney failure |
R07.9 | Chest pain, unspecified |
E11.9 | Type 2 diabetes without complications |
Z51.89 | Aftercare, other specified |
R41.82 | Altered mental status, unspecified |
Hospitalist Billing Tips for 2025
- Use modifier -AI when multiple providers are involved in inpatient care.
- Only one provider may bill initial hospital care per admission.
- Time-based documentation is crucial for critical care and prolonged services.
- Verify discharge time for 99239 billing (>30 minutes).
- Support medical necessity for high-level follow-up codes like 99233.
Final Thoughts
Hospitalists handle some of the most complex billing scenarios in modern medicine. With proper documentation and up-to-date coding knowledge, your practice can reduce errors, avoid audits, and get paid what it deserves. Use this Hospitalist CPT coding guide for 2025 to keep your billing on track.
For informational purposes only.