Wiki Anesthesia Coding Help with Add On codes

slodonnell

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22842 CPT is an add on code in the CPT book, however, it is listed in the Crosswalk and assigned units.

Can Anesthesia bill add on CPT codes if they have units assigned in the Crosswalk? Any information would be AWESOME :)
 
You can only bill one anesthesia code no matter how many different surgical codes are billed. Use the one with the highest base units.
 
Heres some references. Teh reason they only allow the highest procedure is because the Base units include the pre and post surgical work. You only put the patient under once and take them out once so reporting multiple codes would be duplicative

From the CPT boook:
Separate or Multiple Procedures

When multiple surgical procedures are performed during a single anesthetic administration, the anesthesia code representing the most complex procedure is reported. The time reported is the combined total for all procedures.

From Medicare

https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Downloads/clm104c12.pdf
E. Billing and Payment for Multiple Anesthesia Procedures

Physicians bill for the anesthesia services associated with multiple bilateral surgeries by reporting the anesthesia procedure with the highest base unit value with the multiple procedure modifier “-51.” They report the total time for all procedures in the line item with the highest base unit value.

If the same anesthesia CPT code applies to two or more of the surgical procedures, billers enter the anesthesia code with the “-51” modifier and the number of surgeries to which the modified CPT code applies. Payment can be made under the fee schedule for anesthesia services associated with multiple surgical procedures or multiple bilateral procedures. Payment is determined based on the base unit of the anesthesia procedure with the highest base unit value and time units based on the actual anesthesia time of the multiple procedures. See §§40.6-40.7 for a definition and appropriate billing and claims processing instructions for multiple and bilateral surgeries.​

Other payers will also have written policies, most seem to follow what the CPT book states and/or Medicare
 
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