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Anesthesia Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Base Hernia Code on Patient's Age

Published on Tue Nov 01, 2005

Question: What should I report for anesthesia during an inguinal hernia repair?


Nebraska Subscriber
 

Answer: The correct code depends on the patient's age. You-ll submit 00830 (Anesthesia for hernia repairs in lower abdomen; not otherwise specified) for most adult cases and for children older than 1 year of age.
 
You have two other options for young children: 00834 (Anesthesia for hernia repairs in the lower abdomen not otherwise specified, under 1 year of age) and 00836 (Anesthesia for hernia repairs in the lower abdomen not otherwise specified, infants less than 37 weeks gestational age at birth and less than 50 weeks gestational age at time of surgery). Choose the appropriate code based on the patient's age.

Note: Code 00832 (Anesthesia for hernia repairs in lower abdomen; ventral and incisional hernias) is more specific than 00830, but does not apply to this case because ventral hernias are different from inguinal hernias.
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