From surgery cancellations to understaffing, outside factors can cause delays to happen with medical procedures. But what happens when a delay in anesthesia services affects billing?
Typically, if there is medical necessity for a physician to be with the patient during a delay at the start of the procedure, then a health plan may deem that care time appropriate and billable, according to an Oct. 2 article from Anesthesia Business Consultants.
The Medicare Claims Processing Manual states that anesthesia time "ends when the anesthesia practitioner is no longer furnishing anesthesia services to the patient, that is, when the patient may be placed safely under postoperative care."
There are no exceptions to this listed in the Medicare Claims Processing Manual to account for delays due to temporary unavailability of post-anesthesia care unit space or staff, so it is permissible to bill through that time, according to Anesthesia Business Consultants.
However, ultimately reimbursements are up to the payer, the article said.