Anesthesia Coding Alert

CCI 15.3 will have you watching provider involvement and documentation. Considering the heavy focus on moderate sedation in the latest round of Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits, every coder should be up to date on when -- and how -- to correctly report moderate sedation services. By  focusing on the providers and documentation of their roles, you'll be on your way to claims success. Learn the Moderate Sedation Ground Rules It's easy to confuse the various levels of sedation your physician might provide, so start with the basics: • Anesthesiologists don't provide moderate sedation. As the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)points out, "It is important to note that anesthesiologists provide anesthesia (0XXXX codes) services. The moderate sedation codes were developed for cases where nonanesthesiologist physicians sedate patients" (December 2005 ASA newsletter). • Your physician might provide moderate sedation under different circumstances. "When an anesthesiologist is performing a nerve block/injection procedure, he [...]