CPT 00560: Anesthesia for Heart, Pericardium, and Great Vessels (No Oxygenator)
Commercial payers pay $73 on average nationally for this procedure.
CPT code 00560 describes anesthesia services provided for intrathoracic procedures involving the heart, pericardium, and great vessels (for example the aorta and major pulmonary vessels) when the patient does not require a pump oxygenator; service type: cardiac/thoracic anesthesia; typical site of service: operating room or cardiac surgical suite for intrathoracic procedures without cardiopulmonary bypass.
For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use Disorders, Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use Disorders, Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use Disorders.
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National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National commercial rates for CPT 00560 cluster around the BUCA average commercial of $73.00, with notable variation among major carriers. Blue Cross Blue Shield shows a relatively tight interquartile spread (P75–P25 = $33.50), while Aetna presents a much wider spread (P75–P25 = $78.90). Cigna’s spread is $53.40 and UnitedHealth Group’s spread is $28.80, placing UnitedHealth Group among the tightest and Aetna the widest in terms of middle-50% dispersion.
Median and mean differences also highlight variation: Cigna and Aetna have similar mean rates near $92, but Cigna’s median ($85.70) is higher than Blue Cross Blue Shield’s median ($56.20) and UnitedHealth Group’s median ($64.00). Payer-specific maximums extend highest for Aetna at $280.70 and remain more constrained for UnitedHealth Group at $122.70, underscoring divergent upper-end contract outcomes across carriers.