Which statement describes Category 3 MDM?

• A. Provider reviewed external notes, labs, or imaging
• B. Provider personally reviewed and interpreted imaging, EKGs, or pathology without billing separately
• C. Provider engaged in a conversation with another provider or specialist regarding management
• D. Global period includes up to 90 days

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that Category 3 MDM reflects a high level of decision making that often requires collaboration with other professionals. When a clinician engages in a conversation with another provider or specialist regarding management, it signals that the case needs input from different expertise, weighing multiple options, and coordinating a plan. This inter-professional discussion adds to the complexity of the decision making, which is characteristic of Category 3.

Think of it as care that cannot be decided in isolation; the provider is seeking or incorporating input to determine the safest and most effective plan. In contrast, simply reviewing external notes, labs, or imaging, or personally interpreting tests without a separate interpretive step, represents data gathering or analysis rather than collaborative planning. The global period detail relates to billing timing, not the complexity of the medical decision making itself.