# anesthesia for colonoscopies



## maudys (Jul 30, 2009)

We are just preparing to start doing minor surgery at my facility, and i want to make sure that I have some knowledge prior to the surgeries starting.  We will be doing colonoscopies and EGDs.  Can anyone tell me how to charge anesthesia for these procedures?  I have seen alot of correspondence about MAC, how is this coded?

I am so confused!


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## ohiocoder101 (Jul 30, 2009)

what kind of concerns and questions do you have?


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## maudys (Jul 31, 2009)

All kinds of questions.  I haven't done surgery at all, so I don't even know where to begin as far as the anesthesia goes. I read through some of the forums, and there was discussion regarding monitored anesthesia care, and a "G" modifier that is used with it.  But I don't know which CPT codes to use to begin with.  Would you use anesthesia for procedures on the lower abdomen with a modifier that delineates it was MAC?  I can't find a CPT for MAC, so I must be missing something.  Do you have any links or other info you could share related to anesthesia coding/billing?

ANYTHING that will help is appreciated.


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## ohiocoder101 (Aug 3, 2009)

It depends on if you are billing for the anesthesiologist or the center the services are being performed. if you are billing for the dr/crna, you do not use G codes--only medicare pts for the reimbursement. i.e., G8427--documentation of medication, this has NO value to it, just a reporting code. How is your billing system setup? Does it crosswalk the actual surg code to the anesthesia code? or do you have to add the anesthesia code in? (send me a private message if you want to discuss further) the only modifer you can use to distinguish its a MAC case is, "QS". there is no ASA code. Do you have the ASA crosswalk book from the american society of anesthesiology? that would help you out alot too. Like i said, send me a Private message if you want, or feel free to contact me via telephone, would be glad to help.


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## maudys (Aug 4, 2009)

Thanks.  The coding software I use (3M) has an anesthesia crosswalk, so that will help.  We start surgery on Saturday, so I could use your expertise next week.  I will email you with questions.


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