Anesthesia Coding Alert
Reader Question:
IV Along With Labor Epidural
Published on Thu Feb 01, 2001
Question: In addition to a labor epidural, can I bill for an IV I had to start because the nurse was unable to? If so, what code should I use?
New York Subscriber
Answer: I would not recommend billing separately for starting the IV. Even if the nurse is unable to start it, most hospitals have technicians who can do it instead of asking the anesthesia provider. If you feel special circumstances merit charging for the task, the base value units of eight, included with the epidural, should cover it adequately.
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