Over 75% of physicians report spending at least 2–3 hours per day on digital patient communications—including portal messages, emails, and follow-ups outside of visits.
Yet only a fraction of practices bill for these services. That’s thousands in lost revenue each month.
If You're Doing This... You Should Be Billing For It
Common Non-Face-to-Face Activities
Can You Bill?
Correct Code(s)
Minimum Time Required
Reviewing patient-initiated portal messages
Yes
99421, 99422, 99423
5-21+ mins cumulative over 7 days
Responding to secure emails or app-based messages
Yes
99421–99423
Same as above
Patient phone calls (audio-only, synchronous)
⚠️ Sometimes
See 98966–98968 (new guidance)
Depends on time (5-21+ mins)
Reviewing test results or imaging with patient follow-up
Yes
99421–99423
Must be patient-initiated
Scheduling or admin communication
❌ No
Not billable
-
What Changed in 2025?
Codes 99441–99443 are deleted.
➤ Replaced by 98966–98968 for audio-only services.
➤ You must now use separate codes depending on audio vs. digital vs. video interactions.
You can only bill 99421–99423 once every 7 days per patient per problem.
All communication must be patient-initiated through a HIPAA-compliant platform (EHR portal, secure email, etc.).
Maximize Your Reimbursement Without More Work
You’re likely already doing the work. The key is recognizing what’s billable, using the correct codes, and documenting cumulative time over a 7-day period. Make sure:
You track time spent on initial review, response, and care coordination.
Each entry is stored in the patient’s record (secure message, portal entry, or PDF copy).
Final Takeaway:
If you’re still not billing for online digital E/M services, you're not just missing revenue—you’re subsidizing your care.
Don’t let valuable services go unpaid.
Start capturing what you deserve—with clarity, compliance, and confidence.
For more details,
schedule a demo
with ModuleMD today.