What are the Review of Systems (ROS) requirements to bill a level 4 office visit?

Medical Advisory BoardAll articles are reviewed for accuracy by our Medical Advisory Board
Educational purpose only • Exercise caution as content is pending human review
Article Review Status
Submitted
Under Review
Approved

Last updated: May 7, 2025View editorial policy

Personalize

Help us tailor your experience

Which best describes you? Your choice helps us use language that's most understandable for you.

To bill a level 4 office visit (99214) on the Review of Systems (ROS), you need documentation of at least 2 to 9 organ systems. These organ systems include constitutional (fever, weight loss), eyes, ears/nose/mouth/throat, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, integumentary (skin), neurological, psychiatric, endocrine, hematologic/lymphatic, and allergic/immunologic. For a level 4 visit, you must document both positive and negative findings for the systems reviewed. The ROS is just one component of the overall documentation requirements for a level 4 visit, which also includes a detailed history (chief complaint, extended HPI with at least 4 elements, and at least 1 element from PFSH), and a detailed examination (at least 12 elements from 2 or more organ systems), along with moderate complexity medical decision making. The ROS helps establish medical necessity by showing a thorough evaluation of the patient's condition and helps justify the level of service being billed. Remember that all documented systems must be relevant to the presenting problem and medical necessity of the visit.

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

Have a follow-up question?

Our Medical A.I. is used by practicing medical doctors at top research institutions around the world. Ask any follow up question and get world-class guideline-backed answers instantly.