The changes to anesthesia codes for gastrointestinal endoscopy services are generating a lot of interest, and no wonder. Codes 00740 (Anesthesia for upper gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures, endoscope introduced proximal to duodenum) and 00810 (Anesthesia for lower intestinal endoscopic procedures, endoscope introduced distal to duodenum) were introduced in 1989 and represent two of the top three anesthesia services reported to Medicare.
DecisionHealth —
Part B News' parent company —
is holding a webinar on the five new anesthesia codes, Thurs., Nov. 9, but attendees aren't waiting to ask questions. So far, three attendees have submitted questions in advance. Based on their questions the new anesthesia code for colonoscopy screening exams — and the base unit value of 3 that CMS assigned it — is a big concern. For example:
I am going to be listening to this webinar on Thursday and had a question after reviewing the new CPT codes. There will be a code for a screening colonoscopy — 00812 — and a code for a patient who has both a colonoscopy and an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) — 00813.
What anesthesia code do you choose if the patient has a both a screening colonoscopy and an EGD during the same operative session? Do you use 00812 or 00813?
Check back for the answer to this question after the webinar ends.