Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: What codes should we use for an arteriogram with revascular-ization of the leg?

Utah Subscriber

Answer: Before assigning a code, you need to know which artery the physician treated and exactly what the physician means by "revascularization." Does he or she mean repair, graft repair or bypass? You would handle each of these differently.

Remember that when a physician performs multiple procedures, the anesthesiologist bills the procedure with the most start-up units, or base value. In this case, you would appropriately code for the leg revascularization with either 01270 (Anesthesia for procedures involving arteries of upper leg, including bypass graft; not otherwise specified) or 01500 (Anesthesia for procedures on arteries of lower leg, including bypass graft; not otherwise specified). The arteriogram is a secondary procedure with fewer start-up units, so you would not bill for it separately.

You Be the Coder and Reader Questions were reviewed by Barbara Johnson, CPC, MPC, anesthesia coder for Loma Linda University Anesthesiology Medical Group in Loma Linda, Calif.