Anesthesia Coding Alert

Payer policies differ on upper GI and colonoscopy screening, so check with yours first.Reporting your anesthesiologist's work during an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), or colonoscopy procedure is a thorny issue for many coders. If your anesthesiologist provides service during one of these procedures, you'll need to consider a number of factors in order to get reimbursed. These five expert tips should help you submit worry-free EGD claims.1. Clear Anesthesia Coverage With Your PayersInsurance companies have varying viewpoints on whether they reimburse for EGD anesthesia. That's why verifying your payer's policy is a good starting point. Many payers consider EGD conscious sedation anesthesia to be the responsibility of the endoscopist or gastroenterologist, says Joanne Mehmert CPC, CCS-P, president of Joanne Mehmert & Associates in Kansas City, Missouri. These payers believe "the endoscopist can supervise a qualified person to monitor the patient and administer pain medication during the procedure." In fact, [...]