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Anesthesia Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Coding for Multiple Intervertebral Levels

Published on Thu Feb 01, 2001

Question: The anesthesiologist injected the L1/L2, L2/L3 and L3/L4 levels to perform a sympathetic nerve block. CPT code 64520* is injection, anesthetic agent; lumbar or thoracic (paravertebral sympathetic). Would we bill this code for each level (three times), or just once? Some codes specify each nerve, but this one is not specific. A medical review physician says we can only bill once, no matter how many times the doctor injects the area. Is this correct?

Ohio Subscriber

Answer: These injections are not usually billed more than once, no matter how many levels were performed. However, you should still file all your documentation showing how many injections were administered and at what levels. Its always a good idea to include notes with any pain-management procedures you file, so the carrier already has a record of the service in case there are any questions about what was done.
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