Summary & Overview
CPT 64487: Unilateral Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block, Infusion
CPT code 64487 represents a unilateral transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block performed by infusion to provide targeted analgesia for lower abdominal surgery. Nationally, TAP blocks are an important component of multimodal pain management strategies that can reduce opioid consumption and improve postoperative comfort. CPT code 64487 captures infusion-based unilateral TAP administration rather than single-shot injections, which has implications for billing, care setting, and resource use.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for TAP block infusions, the typical sites of service where this procedure is delivered, and what to expect from payer coverage patterns and coding practice. The publication highlights benchmarking considerations, coding nuances for infusion-based regional anesthesia, and policy updates affecting billing and documentation where available. Where payer-specific data are not present in the input, the report notes the absence and focuses on national implications and practical coding context for clinicians, coders, and administrators.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 64487 describes a unilateral transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block delivered by infusion or infusions. This regional anesthetic procedure is intended to diminish pain related to lower abdominal surgery by providing targeted analgesia to the abdominal wall.
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Service type: Regional anesthetic infusion (unilateral TAP block)
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Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical centers, hospital operating rooms, post-anesthesia care units, and inpatient surgical wards where lower abdominal procedures and postoperative analgesia are provided.
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 45-year-old female presenting for elective lower abdominal surgery (e.g., open or laparoscopic hysterectomy or cesarean delivery) who requires perioperative analgesia. The anesthesiologist or regional anesthesia-trained provider performs a unilateral transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block 64487 in the preoperative holding area or immediately after induction of general anesthesia to provide postoperative somatic analgesia of the anterior lower abdominal wall. The workflow includes obtaining informed consent, confirming laterality, performing sterile preparation, ultrasound-guided needle placement between the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscle layers, aspiration checks, incremental local anesthetic injection, and documentation of medication, dose, site, and patient response. The block may be performed as a single infusion or as the initial catheter infusion for continuous TAP analgesia for procedures expected to cause significant lower abdominal wall pain.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
50 | Bilateral procedure | Use when TAP blocks are performed bilaterally and documentation supports bilateral service (note: 64487 is unilateral; bilateral services may require modifier or separate reporting depending on payer policy). |