Wiki circumcision help

[TLC]

This maybe a dumb question however, It looks like according to the CPT book when a circumcision is done Anesthesia IS included in the procedure. Is this correct? We used to add a 64450 nerve block for this. Now after reading description again I think we were wrong to add the 64450? Thanks

 

[JMA]

It depends on the type of procedure.

Code 54150 includes the nerve block, you don't report separately. If they don't do the regional or ring block but use the clamp or other device (see code descriptor) use this with a -52 modifier.

When they revised this code (I think in 2003?) to add the nerve block they also removed the "newborn only" part of the code description.

If it's a surgical excision (not clamp/device/dorsal slit... usually urologists do these) you use 54160/54161 depending on age.

Those codes don't include the nerve block and from a CPT perspective you can report separately... (See CPT surgical package definitions and coding clinic for use of nerve blocks for post operative pain).

However, you'll hit a CCI edit when reporting the two together.