Wiki Anesthesia Blocks during surgery

shyde

New
Messages
9
Location
Industry, ME
Best answers
0
I recently started coding for anesthesia and am confused on which codes to use when a provider performs an anesthesia block as the only anesthesia for a surgical procedure.
The example I have is surgery for an inguinal hernia repair (cpt 49650) and the anesthesiologist did an intrathecal block (site: interspace L2-3) This was a single injection. If general anesthesia was given for this particular surgical case the anesthesia code would be 00840. I am just not sure how to find the code for the intrathecal block. The only time I have used a block code is for post op pain management.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi, you should code separately if the intrathecal block is placed under post operative management. The intrathecal block single injection code for lumbar 62322 with ICD 10- G89.18 Post op pain management
 
If the nerve block was used as the primary mode of anesthesia, the mode would be regional. The block would be separately billable if another type of anesthesia (such as general) and the block was used for post operative pain.
 
If the nerve block was used as the primary mode of anesthesia, the mode would be regional. The block would be separately billable if another type of anesthesia (such as general) and the block was used for post operative pain.
Yes, the nerve block was used as the primary mode of anesthesia. No other anesthesia was documented as performed. Could you tell me where to look for the correct code? I am probably making this more complicated than it needs to be. I am just not sure which anesthesia code to look for? Thank you.
 
Yes, the nerve block was used as the primary mode of anesthesia. No other anesthesia was documented as performed. Could you tell me where to look for the correct code? I am probably making this more complicated than it needs to be. I am just not sure which anesthesia code to look for? Thank you.
The correct cpt code for the intrathecal nb is 62322, however, since this was the primary mode of anesthesia, it is not separately billable. When choosing the primary mode of anesthesia when billing the charge, you should be chose a regional mode.
 
The correct cpt code for the intrathecal nb is 62322, however, since this was the primary mode of anesthesia, it is not separately billable. When choosing the primary mode of anesthesia when billing the charge, you should be chose a regional mode.
Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.
 
Crosswalk the CPT code as you would for general anesthesia when a block is used as the primary type of anesthesia. As mentioned above, the type of anesthesia to enter would be regional. The only time a block is separately billable is when it’s documented for post-operative pain AND the primary anesthesia is general. Blocks may not be billed when MAC is the primary anesthesia.
 
Crosswalk the CPT code as you would for general anesthesia when a block is used as the primary type of anesthesia. As mentioned above, the type of anesthesia to enter would be regional. The only time a block is separately billable is when it’s documented for post-operative pain AND the primary anesthesia is general. Blocks may not be billed when MAC is the primary anesthesia.
Thank you for the information. It has been very helpful.
 
Top