# Anesthesia Modifier AA question



## easyst (Mar 24, 2011)

Hi all, 

I am a newly employed biller (CPC-A) working in a pediatric dental surgery center where patients always have gen anesthesia for their procedures. I do not have my HCPCS here because in this position it is usually never needed - until today!

My question is about AA modifier for a PPO plan to be billed - Aetna. The patient is a P3 status (cerebral palsy) which is normally what I use for the modifier for 00170 under Medi-Cal billing but with PPO plans I'm wondering if I need to use AA instead? Normally I am
supposed to for P1 status patients but is there a P3 alternative for the AA? 

Thanks!


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## gost (Mar 24, 2011)

The physical status modifiers (Px) and concurrency modifiers (AA, QZ, etc) are not interchangeable.  They should be used in  conjunction with each other.  If your patient is physical status 3 and the anesthesiologist personally performed the sedation, you should be billing your procedure code (probably 00170) with both AA and P3 modifiers.


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## easyst (Mar 24, 2011)

Yes, that is the case. I will post both modifiers. Thanks so much for the info, Gost!
I'm grateful for your quick response.


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