Anesthesia Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Follow These Examples for P Modifier Usage

Question: What tips can you offer on distinguishing between CPT anesthesia physical status modifiers? Pennsylvania Subscriber Answer: The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) doesn't fully define the physical status modifiers because their use is based on clinical decisions the anesthesia provider makes for each patient. Your provider assigns a physical status modifier during the preanesthesia assessment. Some physicians are better at documenting conditions to support physical status than others, but keep these examples in mind as a way to gauge your own cases: • P1 (A normal healthy patient) is generally a healthy patient who presents with minimal risks. • P2 (A patient with mild systemic disease) applies to patients with conditions such as controlled diabetes. • P3 (A patient with severe systemic disease) points to conditions such as severe diabetes with vascular complications. • P4 (A patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life) and [...]
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