Does a level 3 office visit require a new prescription or medication refill?

A level 3 office visit is categorized as a moderate complexity encounter in the context of evaluation and management services. During such visits, the primary focus is typically on assessing the patient’s condition, developing a treatment plan, and addressing current issues, rather than automatically prescribing new medications or refills.

In this instance, whether a new prescription or medication refill is required is contingent upon the individual patient's needs and clinical evaluation during the visit. Not every level 3 visit inherently necessitates a new prescription; the decision will depend on the patient's status, their existing treatment plan, and the clinical judgment of the healthcare provider.

Refills or new prescriptions may be warranted if, for example, a patient is experiencing medication-related issues, their condition has changed significantly, or it is part of the management of their ongoing health problem. Nonetheless, it is not a mandated component of a level 3 visit, which reinforces that the correct response is that it does not require a prescription or refill by default. Thus, a level 3 visit can occur without any prescription changes unless clinically indicated.