Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: Our anesthesiologist provided general anesthesia when a surgeon performed procedure 62362 (implantation or replacement of device for intrathecal or epidural drug infusion; subcutaneous reservoir; programmable pump, including preparation of pump, with or without programming) on a patient. Anesthesia time was 1415-1720. The Crosswalk shows 25 units value with no time associated with it. How do we bill for our services?

Ohio Subscriber

Answer: Morphine pumps are usually implanted in the spine to deaden spinal nerves. The code you use to document the service depends on which area of the spine is involved. If the pump is implanted in the cervical region, bill code 00600 (anesthesia for procedures on cervical spine and cord; not otherwise specified) plus time (10 base units).

If it is implanted in the thoracic region, bill code 00620 (anesthesia for procedures on thoracic spine and cord; not otherwise specified) plus time (also 10 base units). Finally, if the pump is implanted in the lumbar or sacral region, bill code 00630 (anesthesia for procedures in the lumbar region; not otherwise specified) plus time (8 base units). Crosswalk 2000 shows CPT 62362 associated with ASA code 00300 (anesthesia for all procedures on the integumentary system, muscles and nerves of head, neck and posterior trunk; not otherwise specified), with a value of five base units plus time.