Chapter 4.5. Division of Workers' Compensation
Subchapter 1. Administrative Director - Administrative Rules
Article 5.3. Official Medical Fee Schedule

§9789.18.2. Anesthesia - Personally Performed Rate.

The anesthesia fee calculation will recognize the base unit for the anesthesia code and time units as calculated in accordance with section 9789.18.8 in any of the following circumstances:

(a) The physician personally performed the entire anesthesia service alone;

(b) The physician is involved with one anesthesia case with a resident and the physician is a teaching physician. A teaching physician is a physician (other than another resident) who involves residents in the care of his or her patients. The teaching physician must document in the medical records that he/she was present during all critical (or key) portions of the procedure. The teaching physician's physical presence during only the preoperative or postoperative visits with the patient is not sufficient;

(c) The physician is involved in the training of physician residents in a single anesthesia case, two concurrent anesthesia cases involving residents or a single anesthesia case involving a resident that is concurrent to another case paid under the medical direction rules. The teaching anesthesiologist, or different anesthesiologists in the same anesthesia group, must be present during all critical or key portions of the anesthesia service or procedure involved. The teaching anesthesiologist (or another anesthesiologist with whom the teaching physician has entered into an arrangement) must be immediately available to furnish anesthesia services during the entire procedure. The documentation in the patient's medical records must indicate the teaching physician's presence during all critical or key portions of the anesthesia procedure and the immediate availability of another teaching anesthesiologist as necessary;

(d) The physician is continuously involved in a single case involving a student nurse anesthetist;

(e) The physician is continuously involved in one anesthesia case involving a CRNA (or AA). If the physician is involved with a single case with a CRNA (or AA) the physician service and the CRNA (or AA) service may be paid in accordance with the medical direction payment policy; or

(f) The physician and the CRNA (or AA) are involved in one anesthesia case and the services of each are found to be medically necessary. Documentation must be submitted by both the CRNA and the physician to support payment of the full fee for each of the two providers. The physician reports the “AA” modifier and the CRNA reports the “QZ” modifier for a nonmedically directed case.

Note: Authority: Sections 133, 4603.5, 5307.1 and 5307.3, Labor Code. Reference: Sections 4600, 5307.1 and 5307.11, Labor Code.

HISTORY

1. New section filed 9-24-2013; operative 1-1-2014. Submitted to OAL as a file and print only pursuant to Government Code section 11340.9(g) (Register 2013, No. 39).

2. Amendment of first paragraph filed 11-6-2018; operative 1-1-2019. Submitted to OAL for filing and printing only pursuant to Government Code section 11340.9(g) (Register 2018, No. 45).