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Summary & Overview

CPT 01965: Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery Only

CPT 01965 covers anesthesia provided exclusively for cesarean delivery and is a core procedural code in obstetric anesthesiology. Nationally, it captures perioperative anesthesia services delivered for cesarean birth events, informing clinical documentation, billing, and policy for inpatient obstetric care. The code is important for hospitals and anesthesiology providers because it delineates anesthesia specifically tied to cesarean delivery rather than labor analgesia or combined obstetric care bundles.

Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, and UnitedHealthcare. Readers will find an operational overview of how CPT 01965 is used in practice, common billing considerations, and its relationship to related obstetric and anesthesia codes. The publication highlights typical sites of service, common clinical contexts for cesarean-only anesthesia, and code comparators that clarify when CPT 01965 applies versus alternative anesthesia codes for labor or neuraxial analgesia.

This summary serves clinicians, billing professionals, and policy analysts seeking a concise reference on the code’s purpose, payer relevance, and the clinical scenarios that trigger its use. Data not available in the input will be identified where applicable.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareCPT01965AnesthesiologyCesarean DeliveryInpatient HospitalObstetric AnesthesiaBillingCoding Guidance

CPT Code Overview

CPT 01965 describes anesthesia for cesarean delivery only. This code applies to anesthesia services provided specifically for cesarean section procedures. The service type is Anesthesiology, and the typical site of service is Inpatient Hospital (POS 21). Data not available in the input.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 32-year-old gravida 2 para 1 at term is admitted to the inpatient obstetric unit for scheduled cesarean delivery due to a prior low transverse cesarean scar. The patient is transported to the operating room where the anesthesiology team performs a preoperative assessment, documents airway and comorbidity status, and obtains informed consent for anesthesia. Neuraxial anesthesia is placed for cesarean delivery; the anesthesiologist or CRNA provides anesthesia care during the procedure, monitors maternal hemodynamics and fetal heart tracing as indicated, and manages intraoperative analgesia and uterotonics. Following delivery of a single live infant, immediate postpartum monitoring and handoff to recovery nursing occur in the inpatient setting (POS 21). This scenario corresponds to anesthesia specifically for cesarean delivery only (01965).

Coding Specifications

Modifiers
AA: Anesthesia services performed personally by an anesthesiologist. Use when the named physician anesthesiologist personally performs the anesthesia for the cesarean delivery.
QX: CRNA service with medical direction by a physician. Use when a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist provides the anesthesia service under the medical direction of a physician and payer rules accept this modifier.
Associated provider taxonomies

Taxonomy Code	Specialty
`207L00000X`	Anesthesiology
`367500000X`	Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
`207V00000X`	Obstetrics & Gynecology Physician

Related Diagnoses

O82 — Encounter for cesarean delivery without indication

This code documents admission specifically for cesarean delivery; it directly aligns with the provision of anesthesia for cesarean delivery (01965).
O34.211 — Maternal care for low transverse scar from previous cesarean delivery

A prior low transverse uterine scar is a common indication for repeat cesarean delivery and is clinically relevant to planning and delivering anesthesia for 01965.
O66.5 — Failed trial of labor after previous cesarean delivery

A failed trial of labor after prior cesarean often results in conversion to cesarean delivery, necessitating anesthesia services billed with 01965 when performed.
O75.82 — Maternal exhaustion complicating labor and delivery

Maternal exhaustion may lead to decision for cesarean delivery; anesthesia for the operative delivery is reported with 01965.
Z37.0 — Single live birth

Outcome code documenting a single live birth; used in the obstetric record in cases where cesarean delivery and associated anesthesia (01965) were provided.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to `01965`
`01967`	Anesthesia for labor and vaginal delivery	Alternative for anesthetic management when labor progresses to vaginal delivery rather than cesarean; not used with `01965` for the same delivery event.
`01968`	Anesthesia for cesarean delivery following neuraxial labor analgesia/anesthesia	Used when cesarean is performed after established neuraxial labor analgesia; relates to cases converting labor analgesia to surgical anesthesia rather than initial cesarean-only anesthesia.
`59510`	Routine obstetric care including antepartum care, cesarean delivery, and postpartum care	Maternal obstetric surgery code representing global obstetric care including cesarean delivery; surgical code that occurs in parallel to the anesthesia service `01965`.
`59514`	Cesarean delivery only	Surgical code for the cesarean procedure itself when only the delivery is reported; commonly reported by the obstetrician alongside the anesthesia code `01965`.

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Summary & Overview

CPT 01965: Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery Only

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareCPT01965AnesthesiologyCesarean DeliveryInpatient HospitalObstetric AnesthesiaBillingCoding Guidance

CPT Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Modifiers
AA: Anesthesia services performed personally by an anesthesiologist. Use when the named physician anesthesiologist personally performs the anesthesia for the cesarean delivery.
QX: CRNA service with medical direction by a physician. Use when a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist provides the anesthesia service under the medical direction of a physician and payer rules accept this modifier.
Associated provider taxonomies

Taxonomy Code	Specialty
`207L00000X`	Anesthesiology
`367500000X`	Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
`207V00000X`	Obstetrics & Gynecology Physician

Related Diagnoses

O82 — Encounter for cesarean delivery without indication

This code documents admission specifically for cesarean delivery; it directly aligns with the provision of anesthesia for cesarean delivery (01965).
O34.211 — Maternal care for low transverse scar from previous cesarean delivery

A prior low transverse uterine scar is a common indication for repeat cesarean delivery and is clinically relevant to planning and delivering anesthesia for 01965.
O66.5 — Failed trial of labor after previous cesarean delivery

A failed trial of labor after prior cesarean often results in conversion to cesarean delivery, necessitating anesthesia services billed with 01965 when performed.
O75.82 — Maternal exhaustion complicating labor and delivery

Maternal exhaustion may lead to decision for cesarean delivery; anesthesia for the operative delivery is reported with 01965.
Z37.0 — Single live birth

Outcome code documenting a single live birth; used in the obstetric record in cases where cesarean delivery and associated anesthesia (01965) were provided.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to `01965`
`01967`	Anesthesia for labor and vaginal delivery	Alternative for anesthetic management when labor progresses to vaginal delivery rather than cesarean; not used with `01965` for the same delivery event.
`01968`	Anesthesia for cesarean delivery following neuraxial labor analgesia/anesthesia	Used when cesarean is performed after established neuraxial labor analgesia; relates to cases converting labor analgesia to surgical anesthesia rather than initial cesarean-only anesthesia.
`59510`	Routine obstetric care including antepartum care, cesarean delivery, and postpartum care	Maternal obstetric surgery code representing global obstetric care including cesarean delivery; surgical code that occurs in parallel to the anesthesia service `01965`.
`59514`	Cesarean delivery only	Surgical code for the cesarean procedure itself when only the delivery is reported; commonly reported by the obstetrician alongside the anesthesia code `01965`.

National Reimbursement Benchmarks

National mean commercial reimbursement for CPT 01965 is higher for the BUCA average commercial group than for Medicare when comparing the provided means: BUCA reports $143.90 while Medicare data is not provided in the input. Among commercial payers, Cigna ($248.97), Blue Cross Blue Shield ($231.11), and Aetna ($204.61) show mean rates above the BUCA average.

Rate dispersion (P75 minus P25) varies notably across payers. Aetna and Cigna exhibit the widest spreads (Aetna: 310, Cigna: 259), indicating broader variability in paid amounts, while UnitedHealth Group is the tightest with a spread of 24.75. Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA show moderate dispersion (BCBS: 121.5, BUCA: 160.89). The table and chart below present the full breakdown.

State Benchmarks

State: AK1 / 50

Alaska Benchmarks

Alaska displays a wide range in reimbursement rates for CPT code 01965 across commercial payers. The rate spread, calculated as the difference between the 75th and 25th percentiles, is most pronounced for Blue Cross Blue Shield ($72.70) and BUCA ($135.37), indicating significant variability in payment levels. In contrast, Aetna and UnitedHealth Group show minimal spread ($0 and $3, respectively), suggesting more uniform rates among providers contracted with these payers.

Compared to national averages, Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA in Alaska pay notably higher mean rates, while Cigna and UnitedHealth Group reimburse at levels well below their national benchmarks. The table and chart below present the full breakdown of payer-specific rates for Alaska, highlighting these disparities and the overall landscape for CPT code 01965 reimbursement.

Key Insights for Alaska

Blue Cross Blue Shield is the highest paying payer for CPT 01965 in Alaska, with a mean rate of $266.86.
UnitedHealth Group offers the lowest mean rate at $74.78, significantly below both the state and national averages.
Cigna's mean rate in Alaska ($89.33) is much lower than its national mean ($248.97), indicating a substantial deviation from national reimbursement patterns.

Related Codes

01952

CPT 01952: Anesthesia for Burn Excision/Debridement, 4–9% TBSA

01924

CPT 01924: Anesthesia for Therapeutic Interventional Radiological Procedures

01916

CPT 01916: Anesthesia for Diagnostic X‑Ray Procedure on Arteries or Veins

01962

CPT 01962: Anesthesia for Urgent Post-Delivery Hysterectomy

01920

CPT 01920: Anesthesia for Cardiac Catheterization and Coronary Angiography

01926

CPT 01926: Anesthesia for Therapeutic Interventional Radiological Procedures

01935

CPT 01935: Anesthesia for Percutaneous Image-Guided Spine Diagnostic Procedures

01958

CPT 01958: Anesthesia for External Cephalic Version

01933

CPT 01933: Anesthesia for Intracranial Interventional Radiological Procedures

01991

CPT 01991: Anesthesia for Nerve Blocks and Injections (Non-Prone Position)

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National Reimbursement Benchmarks

National Mean Rates for CPT `01965` by Payer

State Benchmarks

State: AK1 / 50

Alaska Benchmarks

Mean Reimbursement Rates by Payer for CPT 01965 in Alaska

Key Insights for Alaska

Blue Cross Blue Shield is the highest paying payer for CPT 01965 in Alaska, with a mean rate of $266.86.
UnitedHealth Group offers the lowest mean rate at $74.78, significantly below both the state and national averages.
Cigna's mean rate in Alaska ($89.33) is much lower than its national mean ($248.97), indicating a substantial deviation from national reimbursement patterns.