99483
Cognitive assessment & care plan
Cognitive assessment and care planning services for a patient with cognitive impairment, typically 60 minutes face-to-face. CMS 2026 wRVU 3.44. Once per 180 days per beneficiary. Structured service with 10 required elements that must all appear in the documentation.
Billing guidance for 99483 is locked
- When to use it: the exact clinical situations that support billing 99483
- Documentation checklist: the 10 elements your note needs before submitting
- Common pitfalls: the 6 mistakes that get 99483 downcoded or denied
Payer notes
Medicare covers 99483 once per 180 days with standard cost share; most Medicare Advantage plans follow. Commercial payer coverage varies: many cover 99483 but with prior authorization, some prefer 96130 (psychological assessment) bundled with E/M. Patient cost share for Medicare 99483 can exceed $100; consider obtaining advance financial consent. Telehealth coverage is established post-PHE for Medicare; commercial varies. The high wRVU and 180-day frequency make 99483 a high-yield service to capture for any clinician routinely seeing patients with cognitive impairment.