As previously communicated, for claims processed on or after July 1, 2011, anesthesia time units reported in minutes are divided by fifteen minutes and rounded to one decimal place (e.g., 16 minutes = 1.1 units), replacing the previous process of rounding to the next whole number (e.g., 16 minutes = 2 units).

This change is reflected in Claim Payment Policy #00.01.14i: Reporting and Documentation Requirements for Anesthesia Services. This policy has been available for review by providers and their office staff since it was posted on our website as a notification on April 1, 2011, and became effective on July 1, 2011. The claim payment policy for reporting and documentation requirements for anesthesia services is available at www.amerihealth.com/medpolicy .