CPT 00942: Anesthesia for Vaginal and Associated Procedures
CPT code 00942 represents anesthesia services delivered for surgical procedures involving the female vagina and associated structures, including biopsy, incision, repair of vaginal tear, excision of the vagina, and open urethral procedures. This anesthesia-specific CPT code is relevant to hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, anesthesiology groups, and payers because it defines a procedural category for perioperative anesthesia billing tied to gynecologic and perineal interventions.
Key national payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication provides a concise overview of clinical context for the code, typical sites of service, and payer coverage considerations. Readers will find information about common billing modifiers, associated provider taxonomies, relevant ICD-10 diagnoses that may appear on claims, and closely related anesthesia codes for adjacent procedural sites.
This summary equips readers with the operational and coding context needed to identify where 00942 fits in anesthesia service lines, how it maps to gynecologic surgical care, and which payers commonly encounter this code on claims. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 00942 describes anesthesia services provided for procedures on the female vagina and associated structures. The code covers anesthesia for interventions such as biopsy, incision into the vagina, repair of vaginal tear, excision of the vagina, and open urethral procedures.
Service Type: Anesthesia for gynecologic and vaginal surgical procedures
Typical Site of Service: Operating room or procedure suite for vaginal and perineal surgical care
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 32-year-old female presents for vaginal repair after a second-degree obstetric laceration sustained during spontaneous vaginal delivery. The patient has requested regional anesthesia due to prior adverse reaction to general anesthesia. Preoperative evaluation by the anesthesiology team documents ASA physical status P2, informed consent for neuraxial block obtained, and standard fasting and antibiotic prophylaxis administered. In the operating room the anesthesiologist provides neuraxial anesthesia and intraoperative monitoring while the obstetrician performs incision and repair of the vaginal tear and any associated perineal structures. The anesthesia service is billed with 00942 to represent anesthesia for procedures on the female vagina and associated structures. Typical clinical workflow includes pre-anesthesia assessment, placement of regional block (or general anesthesia if indicated), intraoperative anesthetic management, postoperative recovery in PACU, and documentation of anesthesia type, airway management, start/stop times, and any intraoperative complications or additional services such as vasoactive drug administration.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when anesthesia or associated services are substantially greater than typical for 00942 due to complexity or unexpected events. |
23 | Unusual anesthesia | Use when general anesthesia is provided for a procedure that normally is performed with regional or local anesthesia. |
50 | Bilateral procedure | Use when identical procedures on bilateral vaginal structures are performed and documentation supports bilateral service. |
52 | Reduced services | Use when services are partially reduced or not completed as planned (e.g., limited procedure under anesthesia). |
53 | Discontinued procedure | Use when the procedure is started under anesthesia but discontinued due to complication or patient condition. |
59 | Distinct procedural service | Use to indicate a distinct anesthesia service separate from another procedure on the same date when supported by documentation. |
62 | Two surgeons | Use when two surgeons share the operative procedure with documented co-surgery; anesthesia documentation should note the need for dual-surgeon care. |
78 | Return to operating room for related procedure same anesthetic episode | Use when patient returns to OR for a related vaginal procedure during the same anesthetic encounter. |
AA | Anesthesia by anesthesiologist | Use to indicate service personally performed by a physician anesthesiologist. |
AD | Medical supervision by anesthesiologist | Use when the anesthesiologist is medically directing multiple concurrent anesthesia procedures. |
AS | Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) | Use when monitored anesthesia care is provided rather than general or neuraxial anesthesia. |
QK | Medical direction of 2–4 concurrent anesthesia procedures | Use when physician directs multiple concurrent anesthesia services meeting CMS criteria. |
QX | Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) service with medical direction | Use when a CRNA performs anesthesia under physician direction and documentation meets regulatory requirements. |
QS | Monitored anesthesia care service (CRNA) | Use when a CRNA furnishes MAC and reporting requirements are met. |
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
207L00000X | Anesthesiology | Primary specialty performing and billing anesthesia services for 00942. |
207LA0401X | Pain Medicine (Anesthesiology) | Relevant when perioperative pain management or regional techniques for vaginal procedures are used. |
207LP2900X | Pediatric Anesthesiology | Applicable when 00942 is provided for pediatric patients requiring age-specific anesthetic care. |
Related Diagnoses
| ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
N50.0 | Atrophy of testis | Included in input list but not directly related to female vaginal procedures; may be present as a concurrent unrelated diagnosis on the anesthetic record. |
N50.1 | Vascular disorders of male genital organs | Included in input list; not directly related to female vaginal procedures but may appear as a concurrent unrelated diagnosis for male patients in other contexts. |
N50.8 | Other specified disorders of male genital organs | Included in input list; not directly related to 00942 clinical indication. |
N50.9 | Disorder of male genital organs, unspecified | Included in input list; not typically a clinical reason for 00942. |
Z30.2 | Encounter for sterilization | May be associated when vaginal or open urethral procedures are part of sterilization-related operative management and anesthesia is required. |
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |
|---|---|---|
00940 | Under anesthesia for procedures on the perineum | Used for anesthesia services when procedures focus on the perineum; may be billed if primary operative site is perineum rather than vagina. |
00944 | Under anesthesia for procedures on the perineum | Alternate anesthesia code for perineal procedures; relevant when coding distinctions between perineum and vaginal structures affect anesthesia code selection. |