Anesthesia Coding Alert

Answer: Preoperative assessment is included in the payment for the anesthesia services, per the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) Manual. It would be improper for any group to bill for preoperative anesthesia assessments. 

 

Exception: There might be certain situations, however, when you can bill for these assessments. If your anesthesia provider has a specific reason to see the patient based on the surgeon’s request, you can try billing an appropriate E/M code or consultation code with diagnosis V72.xx (Special investigations and examinations). Include a note to the payer depicting the reason for the pre-op visit. The supporting documentation should clearly support the medical necessity to perform the evaluation, a written report detailing your provider’s opinion, and any diagnostic/therapeutic services offered.