CPT 01960: Anesthesia for Obstetric Vaginal Delivery
CPT code 01960 designates anesthesia services delivered to an obstetric patient undergoing a vaginal birth. This code is central to billing for peri-delivery anesthesia care in labor and delivery settings and affects payment processes for hospitals, anesthesiology groups, and certified registered nurse anesthetists nationwide. Accurate use of the code supports appropriate compensation for anesthesia time and resources tied to vaginal deliveries and ensures consistent clinical documentation for obstetric anesthesia services.
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 how 01960 is applied clinically and administratively, comparisons to closely related obstetric anesthesia codes, and common billing considerations relevant to national payers. The publication highlights expected sites of service, typical clinical scenarios for use, and the relationship between 01960 and other obstetric anesthesia procedure codes.
This resource is intended to clarify coding intent and scope for stakeholders involved in obstetric anesthesia billing and claims review. It provides a national perspective on how the code is used across major commercial payers and Medicare, and summarizes the clinical context and coding boundaries that matter for accurate claim submission.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 01960 describes anesthesia services provided for an obstetric patient who delivers vaginally. This code applies when an anesthesia provider administers and manages anesthesia care specifically for a patient delivering by vaginal birth.
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Service type: Anesthesia for obstetric vaginal delivery
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Typical site of service: Labor and delivery suite or obstetric unit within a hospital or birthing center
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Commercial rates for CPT 01960 cluster around BUCA’s average commercial rate of $85.50, with notable variation among major carriers. Cigna shows the highest mean at $131.40 and the largest upper-tail exposure (max $414.30), while Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) and Aetna sit in mid-range means of $81.40 and $70.10 respectively. UnitedHealth Group records a mean of $67.20 and a relatively low max of $122.70. These values frame the commercial marketplace with BUCA representing a central benchmark rather than an outlier.
Dispersion measured by the interquartile range (P75 minus P25) highlights concentration differences: Blue Cross Blue Shield’s IQR is $61.55 (P75 $107.10 minus P25 $45.50), Cigna’s IQR is $83.70 (P75 $159.20 minus P25 $75.20), Aetna’s IQR is $48.00 (P75 $90.00 minus P25 $42.00), UnitedHealth Group’s IQR is $28.40 (P75 $80.40 minus P25 $52.00), and BUCA’s IQR is $59.60 (P75 $108.50 minus P25 $50.90). Cigna is the widest and UnitedHealth Group the tightest in interquartile dispersion.