Wiki ORIF with digital block

[alk@APS]

I am new to anesthesia coding and I have a case I need help with. It was a digital block provided by anesthesiologist for a finger fracture. The procedure was ORIF with nail bed repair. Is the anesthesia inclusive of the repair?

 

[enancy79]

The Anesthesia would be billed only once, using the code for the ORIF since the base units are higher. The anesthesiologists start - stop time would include all procedures performed during that time by the surgeon.

 

[alk@APS]

There was no anesthesia just the nerve block? Can I bill for the block as a flat fee, there were stop and start times listed but no anesthesia administered? Thanks for any help I'm very new to anesthesia coding!!

 

[ALALA]

Please verify if the patient was monitored during the procedure. It's not unusual to do a digital block for this procedure but the anesthesiologist will still monitor the patient for airway and reactions. If you have an anesthesia report w/ patient being monitored then the anesthesia is billable seperatly. This means that the form of anesthesia was the block. Hope this helps. Personally, I'd bill 01830 w/ time...