Wiki what CPT to use for anesthesia pre-op visits up to 30 days prior to surgery for CVT visits?

[Babs91]

I am being asked how to code a pre operative visit for anesthesia, outside of 72 hr rule, for CVT/telehealth visits. Would a regular E/M code be used with modifier 95 or a G2211?

 

[thomas7331]

Anesthesia pre-operative visits are part of the anesthesia care package and shouldn't be billed separately. It doesn't have anything to do with the 72 hour rule as that is a facility rule that applies to inpatient admissions. An anesthesiologist shouldn't be billing a separate code for a pre-operative evaluation of a patient as that would be unbundling. But if they are evaluating the patient for a reason unrelated to the surgery for which they will be performing anesthesia care, then you would assign the appropriate E&M code for that encounter.

From the NCCI Policy Manual for Medicare Service, Chapter II:
The anesthesia care package consists of preoperative evaluation, standard preparation and monitoring services, administration of anesthesia, and post-anesthesia recovery care.