Anesthesia Coding Alert

Verify uses before filing that next claim -- or face denials.Line placements can be some of your bottom line's best friends because you can often bill the service separately. Check out our experts' advice on when you can code for central venous catheters -- and when the anesthesia code includes line placement.Expect CVP With Vascular CasesAnesthesiologists use central venous pressure (or CVP) lines during many abdominal, cardiothoracic, or other extensive vascular cases. The anesthesiologist normally inserts a CVP line for one of three reasons:To measure central venous pressure via the patient's superior vena cava and to monitor (and possibly adjust) the patient's blood volume (such as during a renaltransplant case to ensure adequate hydration for the transplanted kidney)To gain IV access when peripheral IVs of adequate size are not availableFor central drug infusion during procedures that are more effective or dangerous to give peripherally (such as IV hyperalimentation, calcium chloride, concentrated potassium, [...]