Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: A patient presented for an emergency colonoscopy. No sedation was used, but our anesthesiologist monitored the patient during the procedure. Can we bill this monitoring service? 

Maine Subscriber
 
Answer: The service you describe is usually considered standby and is generally included in the facility charge. Most carriers, including Medicare and most Medicaid, will not pay an anesthesiologist for standby service. Monitoring the patient without administering anesthesia or medications leads to the question of whether the anesthesiologist's services were medically necessary. If medication or anesthesia was unnecessary, most carriers state that a nurse could have monitored the patient at no additional charge. So, unless you are providing a specific procedure or service, your time is probably not reimbursable.