Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: When our pain management physicians do diskography and bill 62290* for each level, should we also bill for supervision and interpretation?

Kentucky Subscriber

 

Answer: You can bill each level with 62290* (injection procedure for diskography, each level; lumbar) and 72295 (diskography, lumbar, radiological supervision and interpretation), if your physician performs the procedure and interprets the results. If your physician performs the service but does not interpret the results, bill 62290* as well as 72295 appended with modifier -26 (professional component) to indicate that the anesthesia professional supervised the test and interpreted the results.

Because 62290* states "each level," use this code for each injection; 72295 is only reported once, regardless of the number of injections given. Some coders append modifier -51 (multiple procedures) to 62290*, but it is not required because the code indicates each level. However many carriers automatically add it, so check carrier policy. The ASA Relative Value Guide has a new code that some carriers might accept as well  01905 (anesthesia for injection procedure[s]; not otherwise specified [e.g., arteriography, myelography or diskography). It is charged as a five-base-unit procedure plus time.