Cognitive Assessment: What’s in the Written Care Plan?

Do you have a patient with a cognitive impairment? Medicare covers a separate visit for a cognitive assessment so you can more thoroughly evaluate cognitive function and help with care planning. Any clinician eligible to report evaluation and management services can offer this service, including physicians (MD and DO), nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and physician assistants.

The Cognitive Assessment and Care Plan Services (CPT code 99483) typically start with a 50-minute face-to-face visit that includes a detailed history and patient exam. Use information you gather from the exam to create a written care plan.

The resulting written care plan includes initial plans to address:

• Neuropsychiatric symptoms
• Neurocognitive symptoms
• Functional limitations
• Patient or caregiver referrals to community resources, as needed, with initial education and support

Effective January 1, 2021, Medicare increased payment for these services to $282 (may be geographically adjusted) when provided in an office setting, added these services to the definition of primary care services in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, and permanently covers these services via telehealth.

Get details on Medicare coverage requirements and proper billing at cms.gov/cognitive.