CPT 01933: Anesthesia for Intracranial Interventional Radiology
CPT code 01933 covers anesthesia services for therapeutic interventional radiological procedures involving the intracranial venous or lymphatic system. This code captures anesthetic care for high-acuity, image-guided neurointerventional procedures that often require specialized monitoring and airway management. Nationally, accurate use of this code is important for aligning clinical documentation with anesthesia reimbursement and for tracking utilization of complex neurointerventional services. Key payers in typical coverage analyses include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for 01933, comparisons to closely related anesthesia codes used for interventional radiology, and actionable reference material on common billing considerations and coding relationships. The publication highlights where 01933 fits within the anesthesia code set for interventional radiology, typical sites of service, and common clinical scenarios that prompt its use. It also summarizes payer coverage scope and prevalent coding practices relevant to national billing and policy discussions. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 01933 describes anesthesia services provided for patients undergoing therapeutic interventional radiological procedures involving the intracranial venous or lymphatic system. The service type is anesthesia for intracranial interventional radiology, which encompasses anesthetic management specific to complex, image-guided therapeutic procedures targeting intracranial venous or lymphatic structures. The typical site of service is an interventional radiology suite or hybrid operating room where specialized neurointerventional procedures are performed.
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Commercial national rates for CPT 01933 center around BUCA’s average commercial benchmark of $75.00, while individual payers vary: Aetna and UnitedHealth Group cluster below BUCA’s mean with medians near $48 and $63.50 respectively, Blue Cross Blue Shield sits slightly above with a median near $59, and Cigna is notably higher with a median of $97.90. The highest single reported ceiling is Blue Cross Blue Shield at $215.40 and the lowest floor is BCBS at $3.40, indicating endpoints outside the interquartile comparisons.
Dispersion measured by the interquartile range (P75−P25) reveals Cigna as the widest at $93.00 (P75 $133.00 minus P25 $77.70), followed by UnitedHealth Group at $29.20, Blue Cross Blue Shield at $43.99, Aetna at $49.30, and BUCA at $39.00. Cigna’s substantially larger IQR highlights greater variability in commercial contracted rates relative to other major carriers.