Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: Is it appropriate to report 01992 with 01936, or are they inclusive of each other? I saw that they both have a base unit value of 5.

Kentucky Subscriber

Answer: It is difficult to recommend a specific coding tactic without seeing the anesthesia record. As in all cases, you should code based on the procedure performed, who performed it, and the induction itself. Then take a closer look at the codes you’re considering.

Report only code 01992 (Anesthesia for diagnostic or therapeutic nerve blocks and injections (when block or injection is performed by a different physician or other qualified health care professional); prone position) if the documentation supports that the injection was for diagnostic therapeutic nerve block by another physician or qualified healthcare professional. The descriptor for code 01936 (Anesthesia for percutaneous image guided procedures on the spine and spinal cord; therapeutic) is quite clear on when and why you would choose it to report anesthesia service.

The distinction here is that 01936 clearly states it is for therapeutic and not diagnostic percutaneous image guided spine or spinal cord interventions. And, to answer your question. 01992 is not an additional component to 01936. Select one or the other based on what procedure(s) were done and for what purpose.

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