In simple words: This code covers the anesthesia provided during operations on the veins in your lower arm, wrist, and hand, when no other specific code applies. It includes the anesthesiologist's time before and after the procedure, giving you anesthesia and monitoring you throughout the operation, and managing fluids and blood if necessary. It includes common monitoring techniques like checking your heart rate, temperature, and breathing. More advanced monitoring might be billed separately.

This code pertains to anesthesia services provided during procedures on the veins of the forearm, wrist, and hand that are not described by other specific anesthesia codes. It includes pre- and post-operative visits, anesthesia administration and monitoring during the procedure, fluid and/or blood administration if needed, and standard monitoring services (ECG, temperature, blood pressure, oximetry, capnography, mass spectrometry). It does not encompass unusual monitoring like Swan-Ganz catheters, intra-arterial lines, or central venous lines, which can be coded separately with proper documentation. Anesthesia time is calculated from when the provider prepares the patient in the operating room until responsibility is transferred for post-operative care. For multiple anesthesia services during the same encounter, the most complex code with the highest base unit value is reported, along with the combined anesthesia time. Qualifying circumstances codes can be appended for complex cases. Physical status modifiers (P1-P6) should be assigned by the anesthesia provider, and HCPCS modifiers are used for Medicare and other payers as needed.

Example 1: A patient undergoes a surgical procedure to remove a thrombus from a vein in the forearm. Code 01850 is used to report the anesthesia services., A patient has a varicose vein stripping procedure performed on the hand. Code 01850 is used to report the anesthesia services., A patient requires anesthesia for a procedure to repair a damaged vein in the wrist. Code 01850 is used to report the anesthesia services.

Documentation should include pre-operative evaluation, type and amount of anesthesia administered, monitoring methods, patient responses, start and stop times of anesthesia, and post-operative care details.