Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: Our anesthesiologist sedated and intubated an autistic adult before she underwent a CT scan. The anesthesiologist was in attendance throughout the scan; how do we report the service?

Minnesota Subscriber

Answer: The correct anesthesia code is 01922 (Anesthesia for noninvasive imaging or radiation therapy). Intubation is included in the anesthesia service, so you won't code it separately. You should also have an anesthesia record that documents monitoring and vitals during the CT scan to help prove your physician was present and providing service.

Code the reason for anesthesia (autistic adult) as the primary diagnosis. The insurance company may or may not require a secondary diagnosis explaining the reason for the CT scan.