How To Use CPT Code 00580

cpt 00580 describes the anesthesia services provided for a patient undergoing a heart transplant or a heart/lung transplant. This article will cover the description, procedure, qualifying circumstances, appropriate usage, documentation requirements, billing guidelines, historical information, and examples of cpt 00580.

1. What is cpt 00580?

cpt 00580 is used to describe the anesthesia services provided by an anesthesia provider for a patient undergoing a heart transplant or a heart/lung transplant. The anesthesia provider performs a pre-operative evaluation of the patient, induces and monitors the patient during the transplant procedure, and oversees the patient’s transfer to post-anesthesia care. This code includes the administration of medications, fluids, and standard monitoring services such as ECG, temperature, blood pressure, oximetry, capnography, and mass spectrometry.

2. Official Description

The official description of cpt 00580 is: ‘Anesthesia for heart transplant or heart/lung transplant.’

3. Procedure

The anesthesia provider begins by performing a pre-operative evaluation of the patient. They then induce the patient and monitor them throughout the heart transplant or heart/lung transplant procedure. The anesthesia provider administers medications and fluids as necessary and utilizes standard monitoring services such as ECG, temperature, blood pressure, oximetry, capnography, and mass spectrometry. They document the types and amounts of medications administered, the forms of monitoring used, patient responses, and the start and stop times of anesthesia care. After the procedure, the anesthesia provider oversees the patient’s transfer to post-anesthesia care.

4. Qualifying circumstances

cpt 00580 is used for patients undergoing a heart transplant or a heart/lung transplant. The anesthesia services are provided by a qualified anesthesia provider, such as an anesthesiologist, doctor of medicine or osteopathy, dentist, oral surgeon, podiatrist, certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), or anesthesiologist assistant (AA). The anesthesia services include a pre-operative evaluation, anesthesia care during the transplant procedure, administration of fluids and medications, and standard monitoring services. Unusual forms of monitoring, such as Swan-Ganz catheters, intra-arterial lines, or central venous lines, may be coded separately if sufficient documentation is available.

5. When to use cpt code 00580

cpt 00580 should be used when an anesthesia provider is providing anesthesia services for a patient undergoing a heart transplant or a heart/lung transplant. This code should be reported for each transplant procedure performed. It is important to ensure that the anesthesia time is documented accurately and that the appropriate modifiers are appended to the code, as required by the payer.

6. Documentation requirements

To support a claim for cpt 00580, the anesthesia provider must document the following information:

• Pre-operative evaluation of the patient
• Types and amounts of medications administered
• Forms of monitoring used
• Patient responses
• Start and stop times of anesthesia care
• Transfer of the patient to post-anesthesia care

7. Billing guidelines

When billing for cpt 00580, ensure that the anesthesia services are provided by a qualified anesthesia provider and that the documentation supports the medical necessity of the procedure. It is important to accurately report the anesthesia time and append the appropriate modifiers, such as AA, AD, QK, QY, GC, QX, and QZ, as required by the payer. If multiple anesthesia services are provided to the same patient during the same encounter, report the most complex anesthesia procedure code with the highest base unit value. The total units should be calculated based on the anesthesia time and the time unit increment used by the payer.

8. Historical information

cpt 00580 was added to the Current Procedural Terminology system on January 1, 1990. It was later added to the Inpatient Only (IPO) list for Medicare in 2017.

9. Similar codes to cpt 00580

Five similar codes to cpt 00580 include:

• cpt 00520: Anesthesia for open heart procedures
• cpt 00528: Anesthesia for open heart procedures with cardiopulmonary bypass
• cpt 00532: Anesthesia for open heart procedures with cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermia
• cpt 00534: Anesthesia for open heart procedures with cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest
• cpt 00537: Anesthesia for open heart procedures with cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest

9. Examples

1. An anesthesiologist providing anesthesia services for a patient undergoing a heart transplant.
2. A certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) administering anesthesia for a patient undergoing a heart/lung transplant.
3. An oral surgeon overseeing the anesthesia care for a patient undergoing a heart transplant.
4. A dentist providing anesthesia services for a patient undergoing a heart/lung transplant.
5. An anesthesiologist assistant (AA) assisting in the administration of anesthesia for a patient undergoing a heart transplant.
6. A doctor of medicine performing anesthesia for a patient undergoing a heart/lung transplant.
7. A podiatrist providing anesthesia services for a patient undergoing a heart transplant.
8. A certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) overseeing the anesthesia care for a patient undergoing a heart/lung transplant.
9. An oral surgeon administering anesthesia for a patient undergoing a heart transplant.
10. A dentist assisting in the administration of anesthesia for a patient undergoing a heart/lung transplant.