Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: I’m trying to code anesthesia for a urethrocystoscopy for fulguration of a bladder tumor. The code 00910 is for transurethral procedures (not otherwise specified), but 00912 is for transurethral resection of a bladder tumor. Fulguration is not the same as resection. I can’t seem to find the appropriate code. How should I code the anesthesia?

Missouri Subscriber

Answer: The correct answer depends on which procedure code the surgeon reports. If he submits 52214 (Cystourethroscopy, with fulguration [including cryosurgery or laser surgery] of trigone, bladder neck, prostatic fossa, urethra, or periurethral glands), you’ll report corresponding anesthesia code 00910 (Anesthesia for transurethral procedures [including urethrocystoscopy]; not otherwise specified). Be sure to include complete documentation of the procedure performed so you have support for 00910.

If he submits a code from the range 52224-52240 (Cystourethroscopy, with fulguration …) instead, those each crosswalk to 00912 (Anesthesia for transurethral procedures [including urethrocystoscopy]; transurethral resection of bladder tumor[s]).