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Anesthesia Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Add-on Procedures

Published on Tue May 01, 2001

Question: Can we bill an anesthesia code for an add-on procedure, or is the anesthesia charge for the add-on included in the primary procedure?

Indiana Subscriber

Answer: You cannot bill with more than one anesthesia code except for ancillary services, such as inserting arterial lines. Instead, look at the base units of the procedures to determine the highest reimbursed procedure at the time of surgery, and base your anesthesia charge on that. For example, if a dilation and curettage (D&C) was done at the same time a port-a-cath line was placed, bill the insertion of the implantable venous access device (36533, insertion of implantable venous access device, with or without subcutaneous reservoir) because of its higher base value.
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