Anesthesia Coding Alert
Begin With 01941 or 01942 for Most Kyphoplasty Anesthesia in 2022
Question: One of our physicians is questioning whether 01936 accurately reflects the work of the anesthesiologist during kyphoplasty. Should I be reporting a different code that’s more specific? Texas Subscriber Answer: Your physician is correct: 01936 (Anesthesia for percutaneous image guided procedures on the spine and spinal cord; therapeutic) is no longer the best code for reporting anesthesia during kyphoplasty. CPT® deleted 01936 and added several new codes for 2022 that are more specific, so be sure you’re aware of the changes. Starting point: Review the descriptors for these two new codes: These are your best beginning points for reporting anesthesia during kyphoplasty. You’ll need to determine which area of the spine is involved to report the appropriate code. If you review the documentation and learn that the procedure became more complicated, a code from the 00600-00640 family might be more appropriate. These could be more accurate if the procedure converts from percutaneous to open, if it involved spinal manipulation, or if the work otherwise exceeded the scope of a kyphoplasty. If you have documentation of any of these factors, consider reporting a code such as: As with any procedure, review all CPT® code options in light of the procedure performed before making your final selection. Plus: Watch for more details about the new kyphoplasty anesthesia codes in future issues of Anesthesia Coding Alert.
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