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Anesthesia Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Add Time for 01952, but Not for 01953

Published on Thu Oct 13, 2005

Question: When should I bill 01952 and 01953? How should I report the time associated with these add-on codes in addition to the primary anesthesia code?


New Jersey Subscriber
Answer: Code 01952 (Anesthesia for second and third degree burn excision or debridement with or without skin grafting, any site, for total body surface area [TBSA] treated during anesthesia and surgery; between four and nine percent of total body surface area) is the primary anesthesia code for burn debridement. You should report it with five base units plus the appropriate time units.
 
Code +01953 (- each additional nine percent total body surface area or part thereof [list separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) is simply an add-on code. It's worth one additional base unit, but you do not report time for it.

For example, your physician administers anesthesia for burn excision and debridement that covers 12 percent of the patient's body. You-ll report both procedure codes (01952 and 01953) for a total of six base units, but only report the number of time units associated with 01952--no time units for 01953.
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