billing for time during the block

[achieman]

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What is the proper way of billing for a block?

ie. if you place the block between 0630 and 0700, and pt goes in the OR at 0730, do you:

a: bill start time at 0630
b: bill between 630-700 and then 0730
c: bill only at 0730

if B, what documentation do you need?

 

[jwk]

What is the proper way of billing for a block?

ie. if you place the block between 0630 and 0700, and pt goes in the OR at 0730, do you:

a: bill start time at 0630
b: bill between 630-700 and then 0730
c: bill only at 0730

if B, what documentation do you need?

It depends.

If you place the block and use it for the primary anesthetic for the case, you can start billing when you start the block. Once the block is placed, if you stay in continuous attendance with the patient until they go to the OR, you can bill the entire time from block placement through end of anesthesia time( like option A). If you leave the patient once the block is placed and then go to the OR 30 minutes later, it is permissible to bill discontinuous time as you show in option B.

If the block is placed mainly for post-op pain control, and you give a general anesthetic, you bill a flat amount for the block itself, and then bill as usual for the OR portion, as in option C.

 

[scoobydum]

Very well put, jwk.