99291 Critical care first hour
Also known as: critical care, ICU care, critical illness, critical care first hour, ICU care first hour
Evaluation and management of the critically ill or critically injured patient; first 30 to 74 minutes of physician or qualified health professional time spent directly at bedside and on the patient's hospital care.
Clinical Context
Used for critically ill or critically injured patients requiring comprehensive evaluation and management in intensive care settings, including continuous physiological monitoring and complex therapeutic interventions.
RVU Breakdown
| Work RVU | 4.50 |
| Practice Expense RVU | 4.29 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0.46 |
| Total RVU | 9.25 |
Est. Medicare Payment
National estimate based on 2026 CMS PFS Conversion Factor ($33.40). Actual payment varies by locality (GPCI adjustment).
Specialties
Track This Code in RVU Edge
Log procedures, calculate wRVUs, and benchmark against MGMA data — all in one app.
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.