Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: Our anesthesiologist placed a lumbar plexus catheter for anesthetic, and made visits to check on the patient for several days afterward. Should we report 01996 or 64449?

Mississippi Subscriber

Answer: If the catheter placement was the only service the anesthesiologist provided, code with 64449 (Injection, anesthetic agent; lumbar plexus, posterior approach, continuous infusion by catheter [including catheter placement]). Code 64449 no longer has any associated global days, and an evaluation and management (E/M) code that meets the documented service can be reported for the patient visits.

If the anesthesiologist placed the catheter primarily for anesthesia administration during surgery, however, then [...]

- Published on 2012-01-11