Summary & Overview
CPT 00948: Anesthesia for Cervical Cerclage
CPT code 00948 designates anesthesia services provided for cervical cerclage, a surgical intervention in pregnant patients with an incompetent cervix intended to reduce the risk of premature birth. This code identifies the anesthetic component of a targeted obstetric surgical procedure and matters nationally because cervical cerclage involves coordinated perioperative care, resource allocation in labor and delivery settings, and impacts maternal–fetal safety and anesthesiology staffing.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for 00948, typical sites of service, and how this anesthesia service is classified relative to adjacent perineal and obstetric anesthesia codes. The publication outlines benchmark considerations for payers listed above, common modifier usage patterns encountered in practice, and relationships to related anesthetic procedure codes. It also highlights relevant coding neighbors to aid billing accuracy.
Intended for billing managers, anesthesiology and obstetrics clinical leads, and revenue cycle staff, this summary provides essential context to support accurate claim assignment and administrative workflows nationally. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 00948 describes anesthesia services for cervical cerclage, a procedure in which the surgical provider places sutures to close the cervix in a pregnant patient with an incompetent cervix to help prevent premature delivery. The service type is anesthesia for an obstetric surgical procedure. The typical site of service is an operating room or labor and delivery surgical suite where obstetric procedures are performed.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 28-year-old pregnant female at 12 weeks gestation presents with a history of painless cervical shortening and prior second‑trimester pregnancy loss. The obstetrician schedules an elective cervical cerclage to mechanically close the cervix and reduce the risk of premature delivery. The anesthesia team evaluates the patient preoperatively: ASA physical status P2 due to healthy pregnancy, reviews antenatal labs, and confirms informed consent for neuraxial or general anesthesia as needed.
On the day of surgery the patient is taken to a procedure suite or operating room depending on facility resources and concurrent obstetric availability. Typical site of service is the hospital operating room (OR) or an ambulatory surgical center with obstetric capabilities. The obstetrician/gynecologist performs a transvaginal McDonald or Shirodkar cerclage under sterile conditions. Anesthesia options include regional neuraxial anesthesia (spinal or epidural) or monitored anesthesia care with sedation; general endotracheal anesthesia is reserved for urgent conversions or patient-specific indications. Intraoperative monitoring follows obstetric anesthetic standards, with fetal monitoring when gestational age and facility policies permit. Postoperative care occurs in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) with obstetric follow-up; discharge planning depends on maternal and fetal stability and facility protocols.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
23 |