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CPT 00528: Anesthesia for Mediastinoscopy and Diagnostic Thoracoscopy
CPT code 00528 identifies anesthesia services provided for mediastinoscopy and diagnostic thoracoscopy, procedures that enable visualization of the mediastinum via a neck incision and inspection of the pleural space via a lateral chest port. This code is used nationally to classify anesthesia care for closed-chest thoracic endoscopic procedures where airway and pulmonary management may be complex. The code matters because accurate coding affects procedural reporting, resource allocation, and consistency of national anesthesia utilization measurements for thoracic diagnostic procedures.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for anesthesia during mediastinoscopy and thoracoscopy, comparisons to related anesthesia codes for closed-chest thoracic procedures, common billing modifiers associated with perioperative anesthesia, and relevant ICD-10 diagnoses typically linked to these services. The publication summarizes expected sites of service, associated clinical scenarios, and how CPT code 00528 fits into coding hierarchies for thoracic anesthesia services. Data not available in the input will be identified where applicable.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 00528 describes anesthesia services for mediastinoscopy and diagnostic thoracoscopy. The code applies when the anesthesia provider manages the patient undergoing mediastinoscopy through an incision at the base of the neck to visualize structures in the upper chest between the lungs, and when the surgical team may perform thoracoscopy by inserting a camera through an opening in the side of the lower chest to inspect the pleural space.
Service type: Anesthesia for closed chest procedures involving mediastinoscopy and diagnostic thoracoscopy.
Typical site of service: Operating room or procedural suite within a hospital or ambulatory surgical center where thoracic endoscopic procedures are performed.
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National commercial pricing for CPT 00528 centers around the BUCA average of $73.30, with individual payers showing distinct positions: Cigna averages higher at $93.70 while Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealth Group cluster in the high-$60s to low-$70s range (Aetna $69.50, BCBS $69.80, UnitedHealth Group $67.30). Cigna and Aetna show the highest maximums and minimums respectively, indicating greater top-end and bottom-end variability even as BUCA provides a mid-market reference point.
Dispersion measured by the interquartile range (P75–P25) highlights where rates are tightest or widest: UnitedHealth Group is the tightest with an IQR of $28.00 (P75 $80.80 minus P25 $52.00), while Cigna shows the widest spread with an IQR of $52.10 (P75 $119.90 minus P25 $67.80). Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA have similar moderate dispersion (BCBS IQR $39.90; BUCA IQR $37.50), and Aetna’s IQR is $45.00, indicating mid-to-high variability across commercial payers.