Final answer:
CPT codes 99203 and 99204 describe new patient office visits with varying levels of complexity, while 99213 and 99214 describe office visits for established patients with corresponding levels of complexity in their medical decision making.
Step-by-step explanation:
The codes 99203/99213 and 99204/99214 are part of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) used in medical billing to describe outpatient and office procedures on new and established patients, respectively. A 99203 code represents a new patient office visit that involves a detailed history and examination, along with medical decision making of low complexity. A 99213 code, on the other hand, represents an office visit for an established patient that also requires a detailed history and examination but with medical decision making of moderate complexity.
The 99204 code denotes a new patient office visit that requires a comprehensive history and examination, with medical decision making of moderate complexity. The 99214 code is similar to the 99213 but for an established patient and includes a comprehensive history and examination, with medical decision making that is of moderate to high complexity. These codes are standardized across healthcare providers to ensure consistency in billing for the level of service provided during patient encounters.