Anesthesia Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Codes 64420 and +64421 Apply to Intercostal Brachial Nerve Block

Question: I’m finding contradictory information on whether to code an intercostal brachial nerve block with 64420 or 64415. What’s your advice?

Vermont Subscriber

Answer: For a single injection, submit 64420 (Injection(s), anesthetic agent(s) and/or steroid; intercostal nerve, single level); for multiple injections, submit +64421 (… intercostal nerve, each additional level (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)). These codes are both more appropriate than 64415 (Injection(s), anesthetic agent(s) and/or steroid; brachial plexus), which does represent a brachial plexus block but not an intercostal procedure.


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