# Mac vs block



## aschaeve (Apr 16, 2013)

In reading the Anesthesia Coding Alert for April 2013 vol 15, No. 4.  There is a question about billing for post-op pain blocks when MAC is given.  I know that when the patient is given general anesthesia and the block is seperate you can bill the block.  Now it states taht if the type of anesthesia utilized for the surgery was either regional or MAC only the anesthesia code for the surgery and if U/S guidance was used, that is all you can bill for.  You cannot bill the block placement.  

Is everyone following this?

Alicia, CPC


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## missyah20 (Apr 16, 2013)

Hello!

We follow this.  This is also stated in the NCCI Chapter 2, "An epidural or peripheral nerve block injection (code numbers as identified above) administered preoperatively or intraoperatively is not separately reportable for postoperative pain management if the mode of anesthesia for the procedure is monitored anesthesia care (MAC), moderate conscious sedation, regional anesthesia by peripheral nerve block, or other type of anesthesia not identified above."


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## Michele Hannon (Apr 17, 2013)

You can still bill separately for the ultrasound guidance.


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## aftab.alam620@gmail.com (Jul 3, 2018)

*Mac versus BLOCK*

We are currently following as: If the type of anesthesia is supposed to be MAC and block is given after anesthesia start time and before induction, then we are not coding block however we are deducting block time from anesthesia time. Ultrasound is codable in this scenario.

If the type of anesthesia is supposed to be MAC and block is given after induction and before anesthesia end time, then we coding block however we are not deducting block time from anesthesia time. Ultrasound is codable in this scenario.

If the type of anesthesia is supposed to be MAC and block is given after anesthesia end time, then we coding block however we are not deducting block time from anesthesia time. Ultrasound is still codable in this scenario.


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