Anesthesia Coding Alert
Reader Questions:
Submit 64449 for Post-Op Lumbar Block
Published on Tue May 17, 2005
Question: Our anesthesiologist administered a lumbar plexus block for post-op pain relief. What's the best way to code this?
West Virginia Subscriber
Answer: Report 64449 (Injection, anesthetic agent; lumbar plexus, posterior approach, continuous infusion by catheter [including catheter placement] including daily management for anesthetic agent administration) and append modifier -52 (Reduced services). Submit a paper claim and include an explanation in Box 19 that the physician administered a single injection for post-op pain management.
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