Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: Are we allowed to bill MAC anesthesia for a caudal epidural that was administered by a separate provider? I don’t see an anesthesia crosswalk code associated with 62322.

Mississippi Subscriber

Answer: You didn’t find an anesthesia crosswalk code for 62322 (Injection(s), of diagnostic or therapeutic substance(s) (eg, anesthetic, antispasmodic, opioid, steroid, other solution), not including neurolytic substances, including needle or catheter placement, interlaminar epidural or subarachnoid, lumbar or sacral (caudal); without imaging guidance) because the epidural injection typically does not require an anesthetic. If the other provider administered anesthesia based on medical necessity – such as if the patient has Parkinson’s Disease and is unable to remain still for placement of the epidural – you could report either 01991 (Anesthesia for diagnostic or therapeutic nerve blocks and injections (when block or injection is performed by a different physician or other qualified health care professional); other than the prone position) or 01992 (… prone position) based on the patient’s position.

Be prepared to provide documentation supporting the use of anesthesia for crosswalk codes that indicate anesthesia is not normally required.