Name of Manual - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Electroconvulsive
Treatments
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Provider Policy and Procedure Manual (02/21/12)
Coding Policies and Guidelines (Anesthesia)
99140 Anesthesia complicated by emergency
conditions
To bill for anesthesia for electroshock treatments (00104), submit
the appropriate anesthesia modifier. Time units and risk are
recognized for this service.
Local Anesthesia Local anesthesia, such as a nerve block, is included in the surgical
procedure code. Do not submit a separate charge for this service.
Medical Services and
Invasive Procedures
Epidural Anesthesia for
a Surgical Procedure
Epidural Anesthesia for
Pain Management
Anesthesia for Nerve
Blocks
Daily Management of
Epidural Drug
Administration
Anesthesia HCPCS Level II modifiers should be submitted with
ASA codes only. Do not submit anesthesia modifiers with medical
services such as hospital visits, consultations, ventilation
management, CPR, daily epidural management, or with invasive
procedures such as vascular injections or nerve blocks.
The insertion and administration of an epidural by an anesthesia
provider for anesthesia during a surgical procedure should be
reported with the appropriate anesthesia code. Codes 62311, 62318
or 62319 should not be used.
The insertion of an epidural catheter for pain management services
by a qualified provider should be reported with either code 62311,
62318 or 62319, as appropriate. Time units are not appropriate for
codes 62311, 62318 and 62319, and anesthesia modifiers are not
required.
Anesthesia services for diagnostic or therapeutic nerve blocks and
injections are submitted under codes 01991 or 01992 only when a
different provider performs the block or injection.
Daily management of an epidural catheter performed on the same
date as the insertion of the catheter is considered to be included in
the insertion and should not be reported separately.
Subsequent daily management of epidural drug administration in
the inpatient setting, including daily visits and removal of the
epidural catheter, may be reported using CPT code 01996 (daily
hospital management of epidural or subarachnoid drug
administration).
Do not submit anesthesia modifiers or time for epidural daily
management.
Removal of the epidural catheter alone does not constitute daily
management. If the only service performed is removal of the
catheter, code 01996 should not be reported. Subsequent daily
management of an epidural catheter performed in a setting other
than inpatient hospital should be reported using the appropriate
Evaluation and Management code.
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