6 new anesthesia codes prompt a new approach to coding

by: Julia Kyles, CPC Mar 25, 2022

Anesthesia coders have six new codes (01937-01942) that are based on the type and location of the procedure in place of two deleted codes: one for diagnostic procedures (01935) and one code for therapeutic procedures (01936). The six new codes and their new structure require a new approach to coding these high-utilization services.

Pamela Linton, CPC, CANPC, corporate coding manager – anesthesia and pain management for Zotec Partners will conduct a webinar on the new codes, Tuesday, March 29. Her handout for the 60-minute broadcast includes examples of procedures associated with each anesthesia code, even the common interventional pain management procedures that the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ CROSSWALK® 2022 Book flags as “Anesthesia care not typically required.”

A review of the slides reveals a variety of details about the new codes, including:

Guidance for reviewing – and improving – documentation for these services (see slide below).
Tips for meeting Medicare’s new and extremely high bar for anesthesia services performed with epidural steroid injections. (Hint: You’ll probably need more than a diagnosis code.)
When to report 00300 (Anesthesia for all procedures on the integumentary system, muscles and nerves of head, neck, and posterior trunk, not otherwise specified) instead of a new code.

Anesthesia Update 2022: Navigate the New Codes for Percutaneous Image-Guided Procedures on the Spine & Spinal Cord has been approved for 1 AAPC and 1 BMSC CEU.

The live broadcast will begin at 1 p.m., ET. Attendees of the live event will have the opportunity to ask the speaker questions during a Q&A session and will receive their CEUs after they take a quick survey.

If some members of your team can’t attend the live broadcast, no problem. They can listen to the on-demand version that is included with the registration for the live event and receive CEUs after they take and pass a 10-question quiz.

Blog Tags: claims processing

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