Ace Autonomic Nerve Injection Encounters With These Codes
Question: If the physician performs an autonomic nerve injection of an anesthetic agent, is there a CPT® code that corresponds with the service, or should I report 64999? I don’t see any codes that match. Codify Subscriber Answer: You should not report 64999 (Unlisted procedure, nervous system). You should never report an unlisted code when there are codes that represent the service — and, in fact, there are a slew of autonomic nerve injection codes in the Extracranial Nerves, Peripheral Nerves, and Autonomic Nervous System section of the CPT® code book. Do this: Go back and check the notes; then, choose from the following codes: Exception: CPT® has separate guidance solely for 64530. There is a note under 64530 that reads: “For transendoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural injection, anesthetic, celiac plexus, use 43253 [Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, flexible, transoral; with transendoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural injection of diagnostic or therapeutic substance(s) (eg, anesthetic, neurolytic agent) or fiducial marker(s) (includes endoscopic ultrasound examination of the esophagus, stomach, and either the duodenum or a surgically altered stomach where the jejunum is examined distal to the anastomosis)].” Chris Boucher, MS, CPC, Senior Development Editor, AAPC
