CPT 01682 Reimbursement Benchmarks & Policy | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 01682: Anesthesia for Total Knee Arthroplasty

CPT code 01682 represents anesthesia services provided during total knee arthroplasty procedures, a critical intervention for patients with severe knee joint conditions such as osteoarthritis. This code is nationally significant due to the high volume of knee replacement surgeries performed each year and the essential role of anesthesiology in ensuring safe and effective outcomes. The publication covers key payer policies, with a focus on Blue Cross Blue Shield, and provides insights into clinical benchmarks, billing practices, and recent policy updates relevant to anesthesia for knee arthroplasty. Readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the clinical context for 01682, including typical sites of service, common modifiers, and associated provider taxonomies. The summary also highlights related CPT codes and ICD-10 diagnoses frequently encountered in knee replacement cases, offering a broader perspective on coding and reimbursement trends in orthopedic and anesthesiology practice. This resource is designed to inform healthcare professionals, billing specialists, and policy analysts about the latest developments and standards for anesthesia billing in total knee arthroplasty.

Blue Cross Blue Shield01682anesthesiologytotal knee arthroplastyknee surgeryinpatient hospitalCPT codeorthopedicsmedical billingpolicy updateclinical benchmarks

CPT Code Overview

CPT code 01682 is used to report anesthesia services for procedures on the knee joint, specifically for total knee arthroplasty. This code falls under the anesthesiology service type and is most commonly performed in an inpatient hospital setting (Place of Service 21). The procedure involves providing anesthesia care during surgical replacement of the knee joint, ensuring patient comfort and safety throughout the operation.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient scenario involves an adult patient admitted to an inpatient hospital for a total knee arthroplasty due to advanced osteoarthritis of the knee. The patient may present with chronic knee pain, reduced mobility, and radiographic evidence of joint degeneration. The procedure is performed by an orthopedic surgeon, and anesthesia services are provided by an anesthesiologist or a certified registered nurse anesthetist. The anesthesia team ensures the patient is safely sedated and pain-free throughout the surgery, monitoring vital signs and managing perioperative care. The workflow includes preoperative assessment, administration of anesthesia, intraoperative monitoring, and postoperative recovery support.

Coding Specifications

Modifiers:
- QS: Monitored anesthesia care service. Used when the anesthesia provider delivers monitored anesthesia care rather than general anesthesia.
- QX: CRNA service with medical direction by a physician. Used when a certified registered nurse anesthetist provides anesthesia services under the medical direction of a physician.
Provider Taxonomies:

Taxonomy Code Specialty Name

National Reimbursement Benchmarks

For CPT code 01682, Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA (average commercial) both report a national mean rate of $277.22. Medicare rates are not available in the input for comparison. The mean rates for commercial payers are identical, reflecting a consistent pricing landscape at the national level.

Rate dispersion, measured as the difference between the 75th and 25th percentiles, is $15.00 for both Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA. This indicates a relatively tight range in reimbursement rates across these commercial payers. The table and chart below present the full breakdown of national benchmarks for CPT code 01682.

State Benchmarks

State: Alaska1 / 49

Alaska Benchmarks

For CPT 01682, Alaska's reimbursement rates from Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA show no spread, with the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles all at $80.00. This means there is no variation in rates among providers for these payers, resulting in a rate spread of $0.00. Compared to national averages, Alaska's mean rates are substantially lower, with a difference of nearly $195.00.

The table and chart below present the full breakdown of payer-specific rates for Alaska, highlighting the uniformity in reimbursement and the gap relative to national benchmarks.

Key Insights for Alaska

Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA both reimburse at the same mean rate of $82.29 for CPT 01682, making them the highest and lowest paying payers in Alaska.
The rate spread in Alaska is $0.00, indicating no variation between the 25th and 75th percentiles for these payers.
Alaska's mean rates are significantly lower than national averages, with a difference of nearly $195.00 compared to national benchmarks.

CPT 01470: Anesthesia for Lower Leg, Ankle, and Foot Procedures

CPT-01522-ANESTHESIA-LOWER-LEG-VENOUS-THROMBECTOMY

CPT 01522: Anesthesia for Lower-Leg Venous Thrombectomy

CPT-01500-LOWER-LEG-ARTERIAL-BYPASS-ANESTHESIA

CPT 01500: Anesthesia for Lower Leg Arterial Bypass Graft

CPT-01212-HIP-DISARTICULATION-ANESTHESIA

CPT 01212: Anesthesia for Open Hip Disarticulation

01712-ANESTHESIA-FOR-PROCEDURES-ON-THE-UPPER-ARM-AND-ELBOW-EG

CPT 01712: Anesthesia for Upper Arm and Elbow Procedures

CPT-01210-ANESTHESIA-OPEN-PROCEDURE-HIP-JOINT

CPT 01210: Anesthesia for Open Procedure of Hip Joint

01462-ANESTHESIA-FOR-PROCEDURES-ON-LOWER-LEG-ANKLE-AND-FOOT-OPEN

CPT 01462: Anesthesia for Open Bone Procedures of Lower Leg/Ankle/Foot

01320-ANESTHESIA-FOR-PROCEDURES-ON-THE-KNEE-AND-POPLITEAL

CPT 01320: Anesthesia for Knee and Popliteal Area Procedures

01430-ANESTHESIA-FOR-PROCEDURES-ON-KNEE-JOINT-NOT-OTHERWISE

CPT 01430: Anesthesia for Knee Joint Procedures, Not Otherwise Specified

01472-ANESTHESIA-FOR-PROCEDURES-ON-NERVES-MUSCLES-TENDONS-AND

CPT 01472: Anesthesia for Achilles Tendon Repair

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Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

`207L00000X`	Anesthesiology
`207LA0401X`	Pain Medicine (Anesthesiology)
`367500000X`	Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 01682: Anesthesia for Total Knee Arthroplasty

CPT Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

National Reimbursement Benchmarks

State Benchmarks

Alaska Benchmarks

Key Insights for Alaska

Related Codes

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

National Reimbursement Benchmarks

State Benchmarks

Alaska Benchmarks

Key Insights for Alaska

Related Codes