New Evaluation and Management Guidelines to be Piloted Two different versions of new Evaluation and Management (E&M) guidelines will be pilot tested. Both versions will be based on the 1995 E&M guidelines. The first draft version revises the amount of documentation detail currently required in the original 1995 standards. The second version will focus on the type of medical decision made by the physician during a particular encounter, and less on the amount of history and level of exam. The draft guidelines include: Elimination of bullets and a reduction in counting the elements required for each level of service. Development of clinical vignettes for guidance to assist in the establishment of the level of medical decision. Continued use of the 1995 or 1997 documentation guidelines are acceptable until the new standards are implemented.   Return to Contents | Return to Billing Compliance