# OB Anesthesia Coding for Epidural with No Delivery



## candiss (Feb 5, 2016)

Our anesthesiologist notes the following scenario:

"How should we submit the bill for a patient in labor who had an epidural placed for 20 hours after which they decide to stop her induction of labor for a later time.  So she had 20 hours of anesthesia for labor but no delivery."

I am inclined to code this with 62319 as no delivery occurred. Other suggestions from coders were to still bill the 01967 with a -53 modifier. I am hesitant to do so - please let me know what you think!

Thanks in advance!!

Candiss Orlando, CPC


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## albeard99 (Feb 5, 2016)

*Anesthesia for labor without delivery*

Hello. 

I would bill CPT 01967. For the diagnosis code, in ICD-9 there was a nice code, 644.10 (False Labor, unspecified). It crosswalks to O47.9 in ICD-10.  

I used 644.10 when anesthesia for labor had to be converted to anesthesia for a C-section. I never had a carrier, commercial or otherwise, deny or question a claim when I used false labor as the diagnosis primary diagnosis for the labor and the reason the C-section for as the primary diagnosis code for 01968 (C-section following labor). 

Hope this helps!

Angela Beard
Lake Ozark Anesthesia


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## albeard99 (Feb 10, 2016)

Candiss, 

You may already know this however, I also found an actual diagnosis code for failed induction in ICD-10. O61.? 

With this in mind, I would definitely bill CPT 01967 for two reasons. 

One, it is a specific anesthesia code (verses a 'pain management' code). 

Two, general industry standards for anesthesia post induction are that you bill for your time regardless of the outcome. For example, a patient is prepared, prepped, draped, and anesthesia induced for repair of a fractured radius. Patient develops a rash (for whatever reason) or goes into cardiac arrest. The ortho surgery is cancelled BUT, the anesthetist still has to deliver care until the anesthesia is reversed.  

Had the case been cancelled before anesthesia was induced, we would then bill an EM code if all other guidelines are met. 

Again, hope you find this helpful. 

Angela
Lake Ozark Anesthesia


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