CPT 01991: Anesthesia for Nerve Block or Injection (Nonprone)
Commercial payers pay $86 on average nationally for this procedure.
CPT code 01991 describes anesthesia services provided when an anesthesia clinician manages the anesthetic care for a patient undergoing a diagnostic or therapeutic peripheral nerve block or injection performed by another provider; the service typically involves moderate or regional anesthetic techniques for procedures performed with the patient supine or in a nonprone position and is commonly delivered in an outpatient procedure suite, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital procedure room.
For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use Disorders, Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use Disorders, Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use Disorders.
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National Reimbursement Benchmarks
For CPT 01991 the average commercial benchmark (BUCA) centers near $86.00, with individual payers varying around that midpoint. Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) and UnitedHealth Group sit below BUCA on mean rates ($82.20 and $68.30 respectively), while Aetna and Cigna are above at $96.00 and $105.00. Cigna and Aetna present higher top-end ceilings ($176.80 and $312.40) versus UnitedHealth Group’s lower cap ($122.70), indicating differences in upper-tail settlement for complex cases.
Examining dispersion using the interquartile range (P75–P25) highlights who is tightest and widest: UnitedHealth Group is the tightest with a $31.40 IQR ($81.40–$52.00), BCBS follows with a $29.5 IQR ($104.70–$58.20). Aetna shows the widest IQR at $83.5 ($128.00–$45.00), with Cigna also relatively wide at $61.0 ($139.00–$73.10). BUCA’s IQR is $34.6 ($110.40–$57.40), placing it near the middle of the dispersion spectrum.