What NCCI is
The National Correct Coding Initiative is a set of edits Medicare uses to stop codes being billed together when one is part of the other. Medicaid and many commercial payers use them too.
What's included in anesthesia
Routine things that are part of giving an anesthetic, like IV starts, monitoring, giving drugs and intubation, are included in the anesthesia code. Don't bill them separately.
What can be billed separately
- Arterial and central lines
- Post-op pain blocks that meet the rules
- Some imaging guidance and TEE when separately documented
Some of these need a modifier to show they were separate services.
Stay current
NCCI edits change every quarter. Your billing system or clearinghouse should be updated automatically. Ask your biller how they keep up.
This article is general information, not billing, legal or tax advice. Payer rules change; always check current guidance.