Anesthesia Coding Alert
Tesio Catheter Removal
Question: How should I bill for removal of a tesio catheter? Our coding department said there is no code for it because the removal is bundled into the original surgery. Since we provide anesthesia for the surgery and are not necessarily there when the original procedure was performed, how can the anesthesiologist bill for his services?
Colorado Subscriber
Answer: Removing a catheter from the neck rarely requires anesthesia. And since a tesio catheter is not totally implanted, it can often be removed without the services of an anesthesiologist. But when anesthesia is needed, the fee for anesthesia is not locked into the procedure's billing when the CPT code includes removal and insertion (as is the case with 36535, Removal of implantable venous access device, and/or subcutaneous reservoir).
Code 00532 (Anesthesia for access to central venous circulation) is reasonable to use for reporting the anesthesiologist's services.
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