Would you prefer moderate or full sedation during a colonoscopy? Many gastroenterologists and endoscopy nurses would prefer to be put under, but they don’t necessarily want to pay for it, a new survey shows.
 
Using propofol, which puts a patient into deep sedation and also was linked to Michael Jackon’s death, can add $600 to $2,000 to screening colonoscopies, which are recommended for patients age 50 and older, an article published in the Chicago Tribune notes.
 
Responses to a three-question survey by 451 gastroenterologists and 460 nurses revealed that most would prefer deep sedation to avoid feeling anything and speed recovery. But “most were unwilling to pay more than $200 for it,” the article states – far less than what is charged to patients.
 
Insurers often don’t cover the whole cost of propofol administration, so patients get stuck with the bill, the article states.
 
Whatever sedation method your patients choose, your practice can code and bill it correctly with Anesthesia & Pain Decisions.