# Anesthesia billing for Colon Screenings



## tpontillo (Jun 27, 2011)

I dont have any experience when it comes to anesthesia billing but I need some information on those who do bill it.  The question is if a patient has a colon for a screening colonoscopy what do you bill for the anesthesia.  The doctor and the facility billed the 
V76.51 and the anesthesiologist billed 455.0.  The op report states pt came in for a screening colonoscopy and the doctor did see hemorrhoids with no complications.  Doctor and facility both billed V76.51 as primary and were paid 100%.  The anesthesiologist billed the 455.0 and is going towards deductible.  I need to know what is the proper way of coding the anesthesiology.  Would they have to bill the V76.51 also?  

Also for a screening colonoscopy does it warrent having two anesthesiologists?  The patients are being billed for an anesthesiologist and a CRNA.  

Any help on this would be very much appreciated.  I am trying to help a patient but before I call the anesthesiologist I want to know what I am talking about.


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## NIENAJADLY (Jul 27, 2011)

*Anesthesia for screening colonoscopy*

When we bill for anesthesia for the colonoscopy, we would bill 00810 (the anesthesia cross-code for any of the colonoscopy codes). In our practice, if the provider notes screening colonoscopy and then a finding, we would bill the v76.51 primary, the finding secondary. The problem comes when either the provider doesn't note that it started as a screening or if the provider noted the patient was having symptoms (rectal bleeding, change in bowel habits, etc). When the patient is having the colonoscopy because of a sign/symptom, it becomes diagnostic and we don't apply the v76.51 code.

I hope this helps 

Kellie, CPC, CANPC


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## tpontillo (Jul 27, 2011)

Thank you, it did help.  Our doctors are noting that the patient is coming in for a screening


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