Summary & Overview
CPT 00100: Anesthesia for Salivary Gland Procedures, Including Biopsy
CPT code 00100 represents anesthesia services delivered for procedures on the salivary glands, including biopsies. Nationally, this code captures anesthesia care provided during diagnostic and surgical interventions on the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands and is used by anesthesiologists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and anesthesiology assistants. It is relevant to hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers where head and neck procedures are performed. Key payers included in the analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context, common associated diagnoses such as salivary gland disease and sialolithiasis, typical sites of service, and mappings to related surgical procedure codes for salivary gland excision. The publication also outlines common modifiers used with anesthesia billing and the professional taxonomies that commonly bill for this service. This resource is intended to help payers, hospital billing teams, and clinical administrators understand the clinical role of CPT code 00100, typical coding relationships to related surgical procedures, and the payer landscape relevant to national reimbursement and claims processing practices. Data not available in the input will be noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 00100 describes anesthesia services provided for procedures on the salivary glands, including biopsy. This service represents the administration and management of anesthesia care by an anesthesia provider for patients undergoing diagnostic or surgical interventions involving the parotid, submandibular, or sublingual glands.
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Service type: General anesthesia services for salivary gland procedures
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Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgical center
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old male presents with recurrent left submandibular swelling, pain with meals, and a palpable firm mass. Imaging (ultrasound and CT) demonstrates a 1.2 cm sialolith obstructing Wharton duct with associated gland inflammation. Otolaryngology schedules an operative procedure for removal of the stone and possible limited gland exploration with biopsy if chronic changes are seen. The patient has controlled hypertension and type 2 diabetes (ASA II–III) and receives preoperative evaluation by the anesthesia team.
An anesthesiologist or CRNA performs general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation for an intraoral and possible transcervical approach to the submandibular gland/duct. The workflow includes pre-op evaluation, airway assessment, induction, maintenance of anesthesia, intraoperative monitoring, management of surgical bleeding and hemodynamics, emergence, and immediate post-anesthesia recovery. If the procedure is limited to biopsy or minimally invasive stone extraction, monitored anesthesia care or local with sedation may be appropriate; for excision or complex exploration, general anesthesia is typical. Documentation includes ASA physical status, airway plan, anesthesia start/stop times, anesthetic agents, airway device, intraoperative events, and any modifiers applicable to the service.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
23 | Unusual anesthesia — for emergency or clinically necessary circumstances where general anesthesia is administered for a procedure that normally does not require it |