Reader Question:
Document Before Cross Coding 62310, 62311, 64483
Published on Tue Aug 02, 2011
Question: What anesthesia codes should we cross to for injections 62310, 62311, and 64483?Nevada SubscriberAnswer: Physicians don't typically need to administer anesthesia when they perform epidural placements with 62310 (Injection, single [not via indwelling catheter], not including neurolytic substances, with or without contrast [for either localization or epidurography], of diagnostic or therapeutic substance[s] [including anesthetic, antispasmodic, opioid, steroid, other solution], epidural or subarachnoid; cervical or thoracic) or 62311 (... lumbar, sacral [caudal]). The current ASA Crosswalk does not list applicable anesthesia codes, so you might want to check your payer's guidelines for instructions.You have a couple of choices for an anesthesia code related to 64483 (Injections], anesthetic agent and/or steroid, transforaminal epidural, with imaging guidance [fluoroscopy or CT]; lumbar or sacral, single level). The primary cross code is 01936 (Anesthesia for percutaneous image guided procedures on the spine and spinal cord; therapeutic). The secondary cross code is 01935 (... diagnostic). [...]