Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: Which is the best anesthesia code for an SI joint injection?

Vermont Subscriber

Answer: The ASA has a published statement on Anesthetic Care During Interventional Parin Procedures for Adults in the current RVG (See Page 65) which indicates an SI joint injection may not be medically necessary. If this is a pediatric patient or medical necessity is established, check the patient's position during the injection before selecting the code. If the patient was in a prone or lateral position, choose 01992 (Anesthesia for diagnostic or therapeutic nerve blocks and injections [when block or injection is performed by a different provider]; prone position), which has a base value of 5. For any other patient position, report 01991 (... other than the prone position) with a base value of 3.