Adjusted base unit value can mean increased reimbursementsYou may need to alert third-party payers that a change is in the wind for 00797.CMS has corrected the base unit value for CPT code 00797 (Anesthesia for intraperitoneal procedures in upper abdomen including laparoscopy; gastric restrictive procedure for morbid obesity) after being contacted by the ASA.The correct base unit value for 00797 is 11 units. This is now listed on the CMS Web site at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/anesth.asp.CMS has assured ASA that Medicare carriers received correct base unit information printed in the HCPCS file in late 2007, and have therefore processed all 2008 claims for 00797 at the 11-base-unit value. However, some private payers may have used the incorrectly posted base unit value from the CMS Web site.