Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: Is transesophageal echocardiography (93315) included in basic anesthesia administration services covered in 00100?

Nebraska Subscriber

Answer: According to CPT Assistant March 2006, you should not include the placement of an invasive monitoring form -- such as an intra-arterial line or a central venous lines, and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) procedures -- in basic anesthesia administration services represented by 00100-01999.

Transesophageal echocardiography codes include:

• 93312 -- Echocardiography, transesophageal, real time with image documentation (2D) (with or without M-mode recording); including probe placement, image acquisition, interpretation and report

• 93313 -- ... placement of transesophageal probe only

• 93314 -- ... image acquisition, interpretation and report only

• 93315 -- Transesophageal echocardiography for congenital cardiac anomalies; including probe placement, image acquisition, interpretation and report

• 93316 -- ... placement of transesophageal probe only

• 93317 -- ... image acquisition, interpretation and report only.

When the physician performs these procedures, report them separately for your anesthesiologist according to the CPT coding guidelines that apply to the given code and the CPT section where they are listed.

Also, include modifier 59 (Distinct procedural service) on these TEE codes.