Section 418.10915. Billing for anesthesia services.

(1) Anesthesia services shall consist of 2 components. The 2 components are base units and time units. Each anesthesia procedure code is assigned a value for reporting the base units. The base units for an anesthesia procedure shall be as specified in the publication entitled "Medicare RBRVS: The Physicians' Guide" as adopted by reference in R 418.10107. The anesthesia codes, base units, and instructions for billing the anesthesia service shall be published separate from these rules in the health care services manual.

(2)    An anesthesia service may be administered by either an anesthesiologist, anesthesia resident, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, or a combination of a certified registered nurse anesthetist or a certified anesthesiologist assistant, and a physician providing medical direction or supervision. When billing for both the anesthesiologist and a certified registered nurse anesthetist or a certified anesthesiologist assistant, the anesthesia procedure code shall be listed on 2 lines of the CMS 1500 with the appropriate modifier on each line.

(3)    One of the following modifiers shall be added to the anesthesia procedure code to determine the appropriate payment for the time units:

(a)  Modifier -AA indicates the anesthesia service is administered by the anesthesiologist.

(b)     Modifier -QK indicates the anesthesiologist has provided medical direction for a certified registered nurse anesthetist, CRNA, certified anesthesiologist assistant (AA), or resident. The CRNA, AA, or resident may be employed by a hospital, the anesthesiologist, or may be self-employed.

(c)       Modifier -QX indicates the certified registered nurse anesthetist or certified anesthesiologist assistant has administered the procedure under the medical direction of the anesthesiologist.

(d)   Modifier -QZ indicates the certified registered nurse anesthetist has administered the complete anesthesia service without medical direction of an anesthesiologist.

(4)    Total anesthesia units shall be calculated by adding the anesthesia base units to the anesthesia time units.

(5)   Anesthesia services may be administered by any of the following:

(a)   A licensed doctor of dental surgery.

(b)   A licensed doctor of medicine.

(c)   A licensed doctor of osteopathy.

(d)  A licensed doctor of podiatry.

(e)   A certified registered nurse anesthetist.

(f)  A licensed anesthesiology resident.

(g)   A certified anesthesiologist assistant.

(6)   If a surgeon provides the anesthesia service, the surgeon shall only be reimbursed the base units for the anesthesia procedure.

(7)   If a provider bills physical status modifiers, then documentation shall be included with the bill to support the additional risk factors. When billed, the physical status modifiers are assigned unit values as defined in the following Anesthesiology Physical Status Modifiers Unit Value table:

P1: A normal healthy patient = 0

P2: A patient who has a mild systemic disease = 0 P3: A patient who has a severe systemic disease = 1

P4: A patient who has a severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life = 2 P5: A moribund patient who is expected not to survive without the operation = 3 P6: A declared brain-dead patient whose organs are being removed for donor purposes = 0

(8)   Procedure code 99140 shall be billed as an add-on procedure if an emergency condition, as defined in R 418.10108, complicates anesthesia. Procedure code 99140 shall be assigned 2 anesthesia units. Documentation supporting the emergency shall be attached to the bill.

(9)   If a pre-anesthesia evaluation is performed and surgery is not subsequently performed, then the service shall be reported as an evaluation and management service.

History: 2000 AACS; 2003 AACS; 2005 AACS; 2015 MR 17, Eff. Sept. 15, 2015.