Discontinued Procedures

[missyah20]

Quick question - If a procedure is discontinued/cancelled due to contraindication do you use a modifier when billing the anesthesia for this procedure?

Thanks
Missy Heuer CPC

 

[kevbshields]

Since the procedure was "cancelled due to contraindication," I would guess this was prior to Anesth? If so, I wouldn't imagine there'd be much of a bill for the CRNA/Ans Attending.

However, if anesth. had been administered, you would indicate an anesthesia code that would represent the most complex portion of the procedure completed and bill start/stop times, like normally. Your ICD would be where you'd indicate the contraindication. To my knowledge there is no modifier indicative of a discontinued anesthesia service.

Hope that helps.

 

[CoderChick24]

We advise providers that since anesthesia is based on time, a discontinued procedure modifier isn't appropriate. You just bill the appropriate amount of time.

 

[missyah20]

Thanks for the help. That is what I thought, but I wanted to get some other opinions on it.

 

[xlbctso]

Some insurance companies allow the billing of an E&M service by the anesthesiologist if the surgery is canceled.

If the surgery must be discontinued, the anesthesiologist would bill for the amount of time anesthesia was administered.