These fees apply to the services of being in constant or periodic attendance during a one day
period, to provide all aspects of care to patients in Intensive or Coronary Care Units designated by the DHCS. There are four levels of care depending upon the procedures
performed:
(a) Comprehensive Care - This is the service rendered by a physician who provides
complete care (both Critical Care and Ventilatory Support) to Critical Care Area
patients. Comprehensive Care fees are not payable for services rendered to
stabilized patients in ICUs or patients admitted for ECG monitoring or observation
alone.
(b) Critical Care - This is the service rendered by a physician who provides all aspects of
care to a Critical Care Area patient except Ventilatory Support. Critical Care fees are
not payable for services rendered to stabilized patients in ICUs or patients admitted
for ECG monitoring or observation alone.
(c) Observatory Care - This is the service rendered to stable ICU or CCU patients without
invasive monitoring and without assisted ventilation.
(d) Ventilatory Support - This is the service provided by a physician other than the one
claiming Critical Care. It includes management of the intubated airway, tracheal toilet
by suction catheter with or without instillation, and supervision of mechanical
ventilation of the critically ill patient.
These are team fees which apply to physicians providing complete daily care and should be
claimed by the physician in charge of the patient. The daily fee includes payment for the
initial consultation, subsequent assessments, and the ongoing monitoring of the patient’s
condition, including the following procedures as required:
(a) insertion of IVs, intraosseous, arterial and CVP lines,
(b) use of pressure infusion sets,
(c) endotracheal intubation and tracheobronchial toilet,
(d) insertion and maintenance of urinary catheters and nasogastric tubes,
