CPT 01952: Anesthesia for Burn Excision/Debridement, 4–9% TBSA
CPT code 01952 designates anesthesia services for excision or debridement of second‑ and third‑degree burns when the procedure involves between 4% and 9% of the total body surface area (TBSA). This code is used to capture the anesthesia component of operative burn care and is important for accurately representing resource intensity and complexity of care in burn surgery. Nationally, correct coding for burn excision and debridement supports appropriate clinical documentation, billing accuracy, and consistent reporting across payers.
Key payers examined include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the clinical context for using 01952, how it relates to adjacent CPT codes for smaller or additional TBSA services, and the typical sites where the service is provided. The publication also summarizes common payer coverage considerations, relevant ICD‑10 diagnoses that map to burn injuries, and related CPT codes used for other TBSA ranges to help clinicians and billers align coding with procedure extent.
The report provides practical benchmarks and policy-oriented notes to support revenue cycle teams, anesthesiology departments, and hospital billing staff in ensuring compliance and consistent application of anesthesia billing for burn excision and debridement procedures.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 01952 describes anesthesia services provided during surgical excision or debridement of second‑ and third‑degree burns when the treated area comprises between 4 percent and 9 percent of the total body surface area (TBSA). The service involves administration and management of anesthesia for burn excision or debridement procedures.
Service type: Surgical anesthesia for burn excision/debridement
Typical site of service: Operating room or other procedural/surgical suite where burn excision or debridement is performed
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
BUCA (average commercial) sits near the midpack with a mean commercial rate of $73.20 and an interquartile spread (P75–P25) of $40.70, indicating moderate dispersion around its median of $62.90. Cigna shows the highest mean ($96.50) and the widest interquartile range of $58.00 (P75 $125.00 minus P25 $68.40), reflecting more variability in negotiated commercial rates. Aetna’s IQR is $62.90 (P75 $106.60 minus P25 $43.10), also quite wide, while Blue Cross Blue Shield’s IQR is tighter at $39.60 (P75 $81.50 minus P25 $43.90). UnitedHealth Group displays the tightest spread at $28.90 (P75 $80.90 minus P25 $52.00), suggesting more consistency among its commercial rates.
Comparing extremes, Cigna and Aetna create the greatest dispersion in the national commercial landscape, while UnitedHealth Group and Blue Cross Blue Shield cluster more closely around their medians. BUCA’s mean sits between these clusters, offering a useful midpoint for national commercial performance at $73.20. Maximum and minimum contractual values vary by payer where provided, but the interquartile spreads above best capture variability across the major commercial payers.