ANESTHESIA SERVICES
Anesthesia is the administration of a drug or gas to induce partial or complete loss of consciousness. Services involving administration of anesthesia should be reported by the use of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) anesthesia five-digit procedure code plus modifier codes. Surgery codes are not appropriate unless the anesthesiologist or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is performing the surgical procedure.
An anesthesiologist, CRNA or an Anesthesia Assistant (AA) can provide anesthesia services. The anesthesiologist and the CRNA can bill separately for anesthesia services they personally perform. In cases of medical direction, both the anesthesiologist and the CRNA would bill Medicare for their component of the procedure. Each provider should use the appropriate anesthesia modifier.
Note: If the surgery is non-covered, the anesthesia is also non-covered.
