# 99140 - Emergency



## missyah20 (Oct 22, 2010)

Good morning - 
   Does anyone know offhand what insurances will reimburse for code 99140.  I work for a billing company and we bill for anesthesia practices through-out the US.  If anyone can help me out on any of the big insurance co's such as Medicare, Medicaid, BCBS, UHC, Aetna ect that would be great.  Thanks!


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## jdrueppel (Oct 24, 2010)

Missyah20,

I'm located in Nebraska and most of my payers EXCEPT Medicare, Medicaid, and BCBS cover the emergency qualifying circumstance 99140 charge but this may also be dependent on specifics of each provider contract.

Julie D, CPC


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## missyah20 (Oct 25, 2010)

Thanks!


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## twizzle (Jan 11, 2011)

*Qualifying circumstances*

I bill for a group in SC, and BCBS say that 99100 and 99140 etc are covered charges but they are denying them as needing a modifier. What modifier would you put on these( QX or QS for example)? They won't tell us of course. I can't think what else to use in order to get them paid.


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## jdrueppel (Jan 12, 2011)

wassock,

I pulled the BCBS of South Caroline Billing Guidelines off the web.  The link is attached below.  They do not indicate a modifier is necessary, however, they also go on to say that they will NOT pay qualifying circumstances when billed by a CRNA.  Hope this helps.

http://www.bcbssc.com/UserFiles/scb...ers/Anesthesia Guidelines--jmm 3 24 10TEO.pdf

Julie D, CPC


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## knulph (Jan 13, 2011)

*Missouri*

I work in Missouri.  From what I can tell, everyone here except Medicare and Medicaid allows the qualifying circumstance codes to be billed.

Hope that helps.


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## twizzle (Jan 13, 2011)

*99140*

Thanks to both of you for the response. I think the issue is the fact that I only bill for CRNA's. I thought I'd found the answer today from a work colleague ( I work for a large billing company) but the fact that an MD puts AA on their 99140's in no way means that putting the correct QX or whatever on CRNA's billing will get paid. It seems as if the CRNA's are actually quite restricted in what we can bill for them. Billing arterial lines, CVP lines and SGC's is also a problem.
Once again, many thanks.


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