How can I bill for insertion of an intravenous cannula on the ward?

+1 vote
asked Sep 22, 2015 by anonymous
Sometimes in between cases or at the end of the list I'm asked if I can help out by replacing a patient's cannula on the ward or a difficult IVC in the ED, which I'm happy to do. I'm always a little uncertain of how I bill such a procedure.

1 Answer

+1 vote
answered Sep 22, 2015 by anonymous
selected Sep 22, 2015 by admin
 
Best answer

There is no specific MBS item number for cannulation. The best way to bill this is as a 'referred anaesthetic consultation', item 17640.

The referral is thus coming from the surgeon or physician whom the patient is admitted under.

The ASA item CV800 (use of ultrasound for major vascular access) cannot be used for insertion of a simple peripheral cannula, and is not recognised by the MBS anyway.

Welcome to Patientloops FAQ. This resource is developed to:

A. Help anaesthetists find their way in the complex billing environment of the Medicare Benefits Schedule and Health Funds.

B. Help with questions about Patientloops , the next generation patient management system for anaesthetists.
...