Summary & Overview
CPT 00866: Anesthesia for Adrenal Gland Removal
CPT code 00866 designates anesthesia care for patients undergoing removal of one or both adrenal glands (adrenalectomy). This code is used to report perioperative anesthesia services associated with adrenal gland excision, an important component of complex endocrine and oncologic surgery. Accurate coding of anesthesia for adrenalectomy affects national reimbursements, resource planning, and quality measurement for perioperative care.
Key payers discussed in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find benchmarks for common billing and service contexts, an explanation of clinical indications tied to adrenalectomy, and an overview of how this anesthesia code interacts with related procedural services. The publication outlines common modifiers and related claim considerations, typical sites of service, and associated clinical taxonomies for providers and billing teams.
The report provides practical context for coding and billing teams, anesthesiology departments, and payers, emphasizing the clinical setting and service implications without making clinical recommendations. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 00866 describes anesthesia services provided for removal of one or both adrenal glands (adrenalectomy). The service type is anesthesia for surgical adrenal gland removal, typically delivered in an inpatient or outpatient operating room setting depending on the surgical approach and patient condition. The code captures the anesthesiologist or anesthesia team’s perioperative management specific to adrenalectomy procedures.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old patient with a large, functioning adrenal mass scheduled for unilateral adrenalectomy. The patient presents for preoperative evaluation in the ambulatory surgical center; history includes hypertension controlled with medications and no prior adverse anesthetic reactions. On the day of surgery, the anesthesiology team performs a focused airway and cardiovascular assessment, obtains informed consent for anesthesia, establishes intravenous access, and places standard ASA monitors. General endotracheal anesthesia is induced for laparoscopic removal of the affected adrenal gland. Intraoperative management includes hemodynamic monitoring and vasoactive support for blood pressure fluctuations related to adrenal manipulation. Postoperatively, the patient is extubated in the operating room and transferred to the post-anesthesia care unit for monitoring of pain, electrolyte balance, and hemodynamics.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
50 | Bilateral procedure | When both adrenal glands are removed and billing supports bilateral reporting per payer policy |
62 | Two surgeons | When two surgeons work together as primary surgeons during the adrenalectomy |