Anesthesia Coding Alert
Procedure Includes Bupivicaine Anesthetic
Question: How should we code for bilateral greater occipital nerve blocks with 1.5 cc of bupivacaine and 1.5 cc of dexamethasone? Massachusetts Subscriber Answer: Start by reporting 64405 (Injection, anesthetic agent; greater occipital nerve) and modifier -50 (Bilateral procedure) for the bilateral injections. The provider uses bupivicaine as a local anesthetic to decrease the patient's discomfort associated with the steroid injection. Most payers and even the CPT® surgical package definition notes that "Local infiltration, metacarpal/metatarsal/digital block or topical anesthesia" is considered to be included in the procedure code, so you won't report it separately. Submit J1094 (Injection, dexamethasone acetate, 1 mg) or J1100 (Injection, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, 1mg) for the dexamethasone. The steroid medication comes in many different strengths, so confirm the product and the total volume your physician injected in order to calculate the number of units of the HCPCS code to bill.
Anesthesia Coding Alert
- GI Procedures:
Remember One Simple Code to Help Justify Anesthesia for Colonoscopy
Including supporting documentation can also help your cause.ICD-9 Codes 2010 introduced a new V [...] - CCI 17.1:
Report Codes 36620, 93503 Over Paravertebral Facet Joint Injections
Latest CCI edits also classify plantar injections as comprehensive procedures.When your anesthesiologist places a Swan-Ganz [...] - Pain Management:
Follow 2 Simple Tips for Trigeminal Nerve Block Success
Heads up: Watch for other names that could mean trigeminal.If your physician administers trigeminal nerve [...] - ICD-10:
Expand Your Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Options With ICD-10
Tip: Clarify MD's notation of CTS before coding.You currently have a single diagnosis choice when [...] - You Be the Coder:
Remember Diagnosis to Support 62311 Post-Op
Question:Our state's Medicaid carrier denies our claims when we submit CPT 62311 with modifier [...] - Reader Questions:
Code With +99135 for Controlled Hypotension
Question:One of the anesthesiologists we code for wants to bill for controlled hypotension on shoulder [...] - Reader Questions:
Watch Location to Choose Between 01210 and 01230
Question:When is it appropriate to use anesthesia code CPT 01230 versus 01210?Nebraska Subscriber Answer: [...] - Reader Questions:
Report Units, Not Separate Lines, for MC Injection Claims
Question:The physician administered transforaminal epidural steroid injections to the right L3, L4, and L5. How [...] - Reader Questions:
OR Report Will Point to 00472 or 00540 for Pectoralis Flap Closure
Question:The anesthesia record documents a pectoralis flap reconstruction that included debridement of sternal wound infection, [...] - Reader Questions:
Modifier Q6 for Locum Tenens Is Only for MD
Question:What is the rule for billing CRNA services as locum tenens?Florida Subscriber Answer: Locum tenens [...] - Reader Questions:
Look to 20550 for Iliotibial Injection
Question:Our physician administered an iliotibial injection with steroids. How should we code the procedure?Wisconsin SubscriberAnswer: [...] - Reader Questions:
Phone Chat Doesn't Always Mean 99441-99443
Question:A new patient came to our office, and the physician did a complete workup, resulting [...] - Reader Questions:
Steer Clear of Modifier PT for Anesthesia
Question:Can you tell me about the new modifier PT? Can we use it when providing [...] - Reader Questions:
Payers Might Have Specific Bundling Issues
Question:Sometimes I cannot find my two code pair in the CCI edits. How do I [...] - Reader Questions:
Procedure Includes Bupivicaine Anesthetic
Question:How should we code for bilateral greater occipital nerve blocks with 1.5 cc of bupivacaine [...]
