99222 first hosp inpatient/obs moderate 55
Also known as: initial hospital visit, hospital admission moderate, inpatient initial, initial hospital admit level 2, initial hospital admission level 2
Initial hospital inpatient or observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient with moderate medical decision-making complexity.
In Plain Language
Hospital admission for moderate condition; First hospital evaluation
Clinical Context
Used for initial hospital or observation admission requiring moderate medical decision-making complexity, such as significant acute illness or multiple comorbidities requiring hospital-level care.
RVU Breakdown
| Work RVU | 2.60 |
| Total RVU | 2.60 |
Est. Medicare Payment
National estimate based on 2026 CMS PFS Conversion Factor ($33.40). Actual payment varies by locality (GPCI adjustment).
Billing & Documentation
E&M codes require documentation of medical decision-making (MDM) complexity or total time spent on the encounter. For 2026, time-based coding includes all physician time on the date of the encounter.
How This Code Compares
With a work RVU of 2.60, this code ranks in the 79th percentile among Evaluation & Management codes — 1.7x the median (1.54). The highest wRVU in this category is 18.46.
Specialties
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CPT code 99222?
CPT 99222 (first hosp inpatient/obs moderate 55) is a Evaluation & Management code. Initial hospital inpatient or observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient with moderate medical decision-making complexity.
Who uses CPT code 99222?
CPT 99222 is used by Hospital Medicine, Internal Medicine, All Specialties. Used for initial hospital or observation admission requiring moderate medical decision-making complexity, such as significant acute illness or multiple comorbidities requiring hospital-level care.
When is CPT 99222 used?
Used for initial hospital or observation admission requiring moderate medical decision-making complexity, such as significant acute illness or multiple comorbidities requiring hospital-level care.
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CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. Data sourced from CMS Physician Fee Schedule RVU26A. Descriptions, synonyms, and clinical context are original content by RVU Edge.