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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesAnesthesia for Procedures on the Lower Leg (Below Knee)CPT cpt-01486-total-ankle-replacement-anesthesia
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    CPT 01486: Anesthesia for Total Ankle Replacement

    Commercial payers pay $73 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 01486 describes anesthesia services provided for a patient undergoing a total ankle replacement, typically delivered as intraoperative anesthesia management for a surgical procedure on the ankle; service type: anesthesia for lower extremity orthopedic surgery; typical site of service: operating room in an acute care hospital or ambulatory surgery center.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Dental Anesthesia Services, Anesthesia Services for Interventional Pain Management Procedures in an Adult, General Anesthesia and Conscious Sedation Services.

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    National Reimbursement Benchmarks

    National commercial reimbursement for CPT 01486 centers on BUCA’s average commercial rate of $73.20 as a midpoint indicator; individual payer means vary, with Cigna highest at $94.20 and Blue Cross Blue Shield at $64.00 and UnitedHealth Group at $67.20. This places BUCA near the middle of the payer mix while Aetna’s mean ($85.80) and Cigna’s mean pull the overall landscape upward, and BCBS and UnitedHealth Group remain closer to BUCA’s level.

    Dispersion measured by the interquartile range (P75–P25) reveals variation in rate consistency: Cigna’s IQR is $53.30 (P75 $121.10 minus P25 $68.00), Aetna’s is $58.00 (P75 $102.90 minus P25 $41.00), BUCA’s is $44.50 (P75 $90.30 minus P25 $48.80), Blue Cross Blue Shield’s is $44.50 (P75 $78.90 minus P25 $43.60), and UnitedHealth Group’s is $29.60 (P75 $80.80 minus P25 $51.20). UnitedHealth Group shows the tightest mid-distribution clustering while Aetna and Cigna show the widest dispersion.

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    National Payer Mean Reimbursement Rates

    State Reimbursement Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 51

    Rate by payer

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 62-year-old male with end-stage ankle osteoarthritis scheduled for a total ankle replacement presents for preoperative assessment. He reports progressive bilateral ankle pain and limited mobility; imaging and prior consultations confirm joint degeneration. Relevant diagnoses include chronic ankle pain and prior tibial fracture status. The anesthesia team reviews medical history, medications, and airway status, obtains informed consent for anesthesia, and coordinates perioperative planning with orthopedic surgery and postoperative pain management. On the day of surgery the patient arrives to an ambulatory surgical or inpatient orthopedic operating room suite. Monitors are placed (ECG, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, end-tidal CO2), intravenous access is established, and anesthesia is induced according to patient factors and planned surgical duration. Anesthesia technique is typically general endotracheal anesthesia or neuraxial/regional block (popliteal/sciatic ± saphenous nerve block) supplemented by sedation as appropriate. Intraoperative management includes positioning with attention to the operative lower extremity, maintenance of hemodynamic stability, antibiotic prophylaxis timing, and management of blood loss. Postoperative handoff to PACU or inpatient recovery includes pain control plan (regional catheter, systemic analgesics), assessment for complications, and documentation of anesthesia start and stop times for billing of 01486 (anesthesia for total ankle replacement). Documentation includes anesthetic technique, monitoring, airway management, invasives if used, intraoperative events, and any modifier-applicable circumstances (e.g., unusual procedural difficulty, bilateral procedures, or split/shared anesthesia).

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure

    Related Modifiers

    9 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    23Modifier -23 (Unusual Anesthesia) is used on anesthesia service CPT codes when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia…- Use modifier -23 only on anesthesia CPT codes (00100–01999) when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia because of…
    50Modifier –50 (Bilateral Procedure) is appended to a CPT code when an identical procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures during the same operative session. The AMA states to add…- Use modifier -50 when the same CPT surgical, diagnostic, or radiology procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures (both sides of the body) during the same operative/session by the same…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    54Modifier ‑54 (“Surgical care only”) is appended to a CPT surgical procedure when the reporting surgeon performs the intraoperative (surgical) component but does not furnish the preoperative and/or…- Use modifier -54 when the reporting surgeon provided only the intraoperative (surgical) component of a procedure and preoperative and/or postoperative management has been or will be provided by…
    55Modifier –55 indicates the billing provider furnished only postoperative management for a procedure that has a global surgical period. According to AAPC, this modifier is appended to the same CPT…- Use modifier -55 when billing the same CPT surgical code that has a 10- or 90-day global period and you, as a provider other than the original surgeon, furnished ONLY postoperative management (no…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207L00000X
    207LA0401X
    207LP2900X
    103TP2700X
    364SE0003X
    207R00000X
    171M00000X
    163WX0601X

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Anesthesiology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Dental Anesthesia ServicesProvidence Health Plan2026-10-01
    Anesthesia Services for Interventional Pain Management Procedures in an AdultCigna2026-09-15
    General Anesthesia and Conscious Sedation ServicesUnitedHealthcare2026-09-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Elective Inpatient Services (for Idaho Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-06-01
    Sites of Servicepriority health2026-06-01
    Coverage for Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU)/Outpatient Facility and Anesthesia for Dental Servicesuniverahealthcare2026-05-21

    Related Codes

    CPT-01462-ANESTHESIA-CLOSED-PROCEDURES-LOWER-LEG-ANKLE-FOOT

    CPT 01462: Anesthesia for Closed Procedures on Lower Leg, Ankle, Foot

    CPT-01464-ANKLE-FOOT-ARTHROSCOPY-ANESTHESIA

    CPT 01464: Anesthesia for Ankle/Foot Arthroscopic Procedure

    CPT-01470-ANESTHESIA-LOWER-LEG-ANKLE-FOOT-SOFT-TISSUE-PROCEDURE

    CPT 01470: Anesthesia for Lower Leg, Ankle, and Foot Soft-Tissue Procedures

    CPT-01472-LOWER-LEG-ANKLE-FOOT-TENDON-ANESTHESIA-ACHILLES-REPAIR

    CPT 01472: Anesthesia for Lower Leg/Ankle/Foot (Achilles Repair)

    CPT-01474-ANESTHESIA-LOWER-LEG-ANKLE-FOOT-SOFT-TISSUE-PROCEDURES

    CPT 01474: Anesthesia for Lower Leg/Ankle/Foot Soft-Tissue Procedures

    CPT-01480-ANESTHESIA-OPEN-LOWER-LEG-ANKLE-FOOT-BONE-PROCEDURE

    CPT 01480: Anesthesia for Open Lower Leg, Ankle, and Foot Procedures

    CPT-01482-ANESTHESIA-LOWER-LEG-ANKLE-FOOT-RADICAL-RESECTION

    CPT 01482: Anesthesia for Lower Leg, Ankle, and Foot Procedures

    CPT-01484-ANESTHESIA-OSTEOTOMY-OSTEOPLASTY-TIBIA-FIBULA

    CPT 01484: Anesthesia for Tibia/Fibula Osteotomy or Osteoplasty

    CPT-01490-ANESTHESIA-LOWER-LEG-CAST-APPLICATION-REMOVAL-REPAIR

    CPT 01490: Anesthesia for Lower Leg Cast Application/Removal/Repair

    CPT-01500-LOWER-LEG-ARTERIAL-BYPASS-ANESTHESIA

    CPT 01500: Anesthesia for Lower Leg Arterial Bypass Graft

    Showing 1–10 of 13

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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    01480Anesthesia for open procedures on bones of lower leg, ankle, and foot; tibia and fibulaAlternative anesthesia code when the surgical procedure primarily involves the tibia or fibula rather than total ankle replacement.
    01482Anesthesia for open procedures on bones of lower leg, ankle, and foot; ankle jointClosely related; used for anesthesia when the service is specifically for ankle joint open procedures and may be selected based on operative scope.
    01484Anesthesia for open procedures on bones of lower leg, ankle, and foot; footRelated when the surgical field extends into the foot or when procedures on foot structures accompany the ankle replacement.
    20680Removal of implant; deep (e.g., buried wire, pin, screw, metal band, nail, rod or plate)May be performed prior to or during total ankle replacement if prior hardware requires removal; impacts anesthesia planning and duration.