CPT 97803 (MNT follow-up and reassessment)
97803 covers every individual MNT visit after the initial assessment: follow-ups, reassessments and ongoing interventions. Like 97802 it is reported in 15-minute units of face-to-face time.
Per Medicare's instructions, 97803 is billed for all reassessments and interventions after the initial visit, including when a change in the patient's condition affects nutritional status (CMS Claims Processing Manual, Ch. 4, §300.4). Medicare's separate G-codes (G0270 individual, G0271 group) are for additional hours beyond the basic annual allowance, after a second physician referral for a change in diagnosis, condition or treatment.
Common reasons a 97803 line comes back short or denied:
- Units on the claim exceed what the note's minutes support.
- The plan's visit or unit limit is used up.
- The diagnosis isn't on the plan's covered list, or sits in the wrong position.
- Telehealth visits sent with the wrong place-of-service code.
Because follow-ups are where most of a practice's MNT volume lives, small errors here repeat on every claim. Check the payer's rules once, then template them.