Anesthesia Coding Alert
Check Your Pay for Fluoro Guidance With Spinal Injections
Will your carrier follow Aetna's lead? Aetna made a move this summer that was well received by anesthesia and pain management providers: The carrier reversed its non-payment policy of fluoroscopic guidance for spinal and paraspinal injections.
The carrier previously considered guidance to be the standard of care for performing these injections, which meant they didn't separately reimburse for 76005 (Fluoroscopic guidance and localization of needle or catheter tip for spine or paraspinous diagnostic or therapeutic injection procedures [epidural, transforaminal epidural, subarachnoid, paravertebral facet joint, paravertebral facet joint nerve or sacroiliac joint], including neurolytic agent destruction).
This position changed effective August 15, 2004, thanks to input from the American Society of Anesthesiologists and other groups. The only exceptions will be when the procedure's descriptor includes imaging or when the physician uses the fluoroscopy to facilitate more intense imaging procedures.
Earlier this year, McKesson Information Solutions - the company that provides code-bundling software to many Blue Cross/Blue Shield licensees and other private health plans - announced that it would discontinue the "edits" that bundle 76005 with many injection codes.
Anesthesia Coding Alert
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Test Your Canceled-Cases Skills
Hint: Details dictate how you report cases Many factors determine how you code anesthesia's involvement [...] - Carrier Update:
Check Your Pay for Fluoro Guidance With Spinal Injections
Will your carrier follow Aetna's lead? Aetna made a move this summer that was well [...] - You Be the Coder:
Check Diagnosis Code for Postpartum D&C
Question: Medicaid denies our claim for a case involving a D&C due to postpartum bleeding. [...] - Pain Management Focus:
Clearly Document Post-Op Pain Relief for 01996 Payments
These 3 steps lead to success The fees for global anesthesia codes include most of [...] - Reader Questions:
Report Conscious Sedation With Pain Procedures
Question: Can we code for conscious sedation during pain management procedures? If so, should we [...] - Reader Questions:
Use 00702 for CT-Guided Liver Biopsy
Question: Our physician provided anesthesia during a CT-guided liver biopsy. The procedure code crosses to [...] - Reader Questions:
Report 1 Code for Multiple Procedures
Question: Our physician provided anesthesia for periprosthetic capsulectomy of the breast. Should I append modifier [...] - Reader Questions:
64999 May Be Best for New On-Q Pain Pump
Question: What code should I report for the new On-Q pain pump?
Michigan Subscriber Answer: [...] - Reader Questions:
It's OK to Change EVLT Code
Question: Our physician performed anesthesia during endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) on the lower leg. The [...] - Reader Questions:
Watch NCCI Edits for Pump Refills
Question: Medicare denies our claims for reprogramming and refilling an implantable pump, saying that the [...] - Modifiers Make a Difference:
Performing 2 Services on the Same Date? Pick From These 3 Modifiers
Documentation explains the story, increases specificity Every coder knows that appending modifiers can help you [...] - Details Count:
Follow Strict Guidelines to Collect Modifier -25 Pay
These 3 checkpoints can help your Medicare claims Your pain management specialist conducted an E/M [...] - Carrier Update:
BC/BS Montana Adds Payable Diagnoses to Tendon Injections
Check your carriers' diagnosis code listings to ensure accuracy You're coding for accuracy, not for [...] - News You Can Use:
Watch Out for New ICD-9 Codes, Fluoro Guidelines
Upcoming changes - and retroactive ones - make a difference Expect an easy transition [...] - You Be the Coder:
Cryoablation for Neurolysis
Question: How should I code bilateral occipital neurolysis with cryoablation? Also, how should I code [...] - Reader Questions:
Purpose Dictates Regional Bretylium Block Code
Question: How should I code an extremity IV regional bretylium block for reflex sympathetic dystrophy?
Indiana [...] - Reader Questions:
Include Details for Post-Op Epidural
Question: Should I code daily management of a post-operative epidural differently if a CRNA performs [...] - Reader Questions:
Use 64517 for Superior Hypogastric Block
Question: Our physician performed a superior hypogastric nerve block procedure using two needles. How should [...] - Reader Questions:
Check With Carrier on 01991 and 01992
Question: We have some problems collecting payment when we report anesthesia services during a diagnostic [...] - Reader Questions:
Verify Diagnosis to Justify MAC
Question: Our anesthesiologist provided MAC (monitored anesthesia care) during lumbar radiofrequency ligation. He classified the [...] - Reader Question:
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Question: Which code should I use for a heel spur steroid injection?
Oregon Subscriber Answer: The [...] - Reader Questions:
64483 and 64484 Are for Lumbar Nerve Root Blocks
Question: What code should I use for a lumbar nerve root block?
Florida Subscriber
Answer: You should [...]
