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Anesthesia Coding Alert

Standby:

Yes, 99360 Can Be Payable -- If You Follow the Rules

Published on Thu Oct 28, 2010

Check documentation of 4 areas before submitting claims. CPT's E/M section includes only one code for standby time, but limited choices don't guarantee payment. Watch four areas our experts recommend, and don't leave your claims hanging in the wings. 1. Code Based on Availability, Not Care Your first step in preparing to submit a claim for standby service is to understand what you're reporting " and what you're not. Code 99360 (Physician standby service, requiring prolonged physician attendance, each 30 minutes [e.g., operative standby, standby for frozen section, for cesarean/high-risk delivery, for monitoring EEG]) does not represent patient care -- rather, it represents availability. Example 1: An obstetrician asks your anesthesiologist to remain in the labor and delivery area in case a woman who is undergoing VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean section) ruptures her uterus. The anesthesiologist stays nearby but doesn't provide service because the woman delivers vaginally without any problems. [...]
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