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Anesthesia Coding Alert

MAC Coding:

Learn Definitions and Focus on Airway to Separate MAC From Moderate Sedation

Published on Mon Jun 11, 2012

Plus: Remember it's a type of anesthesia, not just sedation level. Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) is an area that can trip up coders, from newbies to those with years of experience. If you sometimes have trouble distinguishing MAC from moderate sedation, our experts recommend focusing on the patient's airway for the right answer every time. Refresh Your MAC Knowledge The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) first published a position statement on MAC in 1986. The latest revision was in September 2008, with clarifications of terms such as "extended period of time" and "majority of the procedure." MAC includes all aspects of anesthesia care: a pre-procedure visit, intraprocedure care, and post-procedure anesthesia management. Services during monitored anesthesia care can include: Diagnosis and treatment of clinical problems that occur during the procedure Support of vital functions Administration of sedatives, analgesics, hypnotics, anesthetic agents, or other mediations as necessary Psychological support and physical [...]
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