# Anesthesia for labor



## kenbeckman (Mar 11, 2013)

This is a new one for me. The anesthesiologist billed 01967 Neuraxial labor anesthesia for planned vaginal delivery - then billed 420 minutes (7 hours) of time. My understanding is that time "begins when the anesthesiologist begins to prepare the patient for the induction of anesthesia in the operating room (or equivalent area) and ends when the anesthesiologist is no longer in personal attendance."
Obviously the anesthesiologist was not in personal attendance for 7 hours while this woman labored. 
Also by definition, 01967 includes any repeat needle placement or drug injections.

The 2012 relative guide from the ASA says "there is no single widely accepted method of accounting for time for neuraxial labor anesthesia services" then lists options as:
base + time subject to a reasonable cap
base + one unit per hour of management _ direct contavt time
incremental time-based units
single fee

This provider billed 01967 base = 5 + 420 minutes time then
01968 base = 3 + 83 minutes time

His bill for anesthesia was more than the OB bill for global maternity care with C/S

Thoughts, suggestions appreciated.


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## Melissa*Ever*Evolving (Mar 11, 2013)

Hello, my billing company bills the anesthesia time as the insurance company has in their guidelines. Generally for Medicaid in my area, we report the anesthesia start time to delivery time as follows: First hour is in 15min increments =4 units, then the remaining time is reported as one unit per hour. C-section is reported as 15 min increments as usual.


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