New anesthesia codes likely to have high use
It’s that time of the year again and providers and coders are busy preparing themselves for a brand-new set of CPT® codes. 2018 offers 11 new, revised, and deleted anesthesia CPT® updates that you/your staff should start preparing without delay – especially if you report anesthesia for GI procedures, shoulder cast application, or neurectomy.
Read on to get a grasp of CPT® 2018 changes that will impact how you code your anesthesia claims effective Jan. 1, 2018:
Acquaint Yourself with These 5 Important Anesthesia Codes
Look forward to some new anesthesia codes – 00731, 00732, 00811, 00812 – for ERCP and screening colonoscopy that are likely to be used extensively next year. You will also find a unique code for both upper and lower GI procedures – 00813. With these changes, you’ll need to adjust your code selection based on objective, regions, and the complexity and work linked with the variables within the new codes from Jan. 1.
Note These Key Anesthesia Deletions
Effective Jan. 1, you will no longer find these anesthesia procedure codes – 00740, 00810, 01180, 01190, 01682 – as the CPT® Editorial Panel has decided to delete them to make way for the new codes. The codes 00740 and 00810 are alike to the work of new codes 00731 and 00811 and so they are no longer required.
Don’t Miss These Shoulder Casting Changes
Keep a tab on new reporting options for shoulder cast application, removal, or repair next year. CPT® 2018 deletes shoulder spica code 01682. The NOS code will be marked as revised in your CPT® book with a semicolon in the descriptor with a comma.
Heed These Deletions as Well
You will also have to strike off two more codes in the subsection for anesthesia on procedures on the pelvis (minus the hip) – 01180 and 01190.
Make Sure You Use the Appropriate Anesthesia Codes
To report anesthesia claims for optimum reimbursement, you must have updates on new, revised, and deleted codes and stay on track to new anesthesia coding guidelines and regulatory rules affecting your practice.
Take the stress out of anesthesia coding and reimbursement with up-to-date information on 2018 code changes and compliance requirements with TCI’s one-stop specialty coding resources. Check out anesthesia coding books, newsletters, charts, and more. Learn how to code error-free, read expert articles on applying all of the CPT® changes, and get easy access to referencing tools and simple explanations of CMS updates.