CMS is making it harder for anesthesiologists to get reimbursed for epidural steroid injections, Tony Mira, Anesthesia Business Consultants' president and CEO, said in a recent blog post.
Beginning this month, a new Medicare local coverage determination reduces the number of conditions under which anesthesia services can be reimbursed for interlaminar and transforaminal epidural steroid injections. The determination addresses payment limitations, and, according to Mr. Mira, "the overall takeaway is that these services will rarely be reimbursed to anesthesiologists and anesthetists."
Mr. Mira recommends that service providers document any patient conditions that might help to establish the medical necessity of the service and have the patient complete and sign an advance beneficiary notice form.
Read more about the new policy here.