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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesModerate (Conscious) SedationCPT cpt-99157-moderate-sedation-extended-monitoring
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    CPT 99157: Moderate Sedation Medication Administration and Monitoring

    Medicare pays $55 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 99157 describes administration of medication by a provider or qualified healthcare professional (other than the clinician performing a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure) to reduce a patient’s level of consciousness without rendering the patient unconscious, with monitoring that continues beyond the 15 minutes of intraservice time included in the primary procedure; service type: moderate sedation/analgosedation administration and monitoring; typical site of service: procedure locations such as endoscopy suites, ambulatory surgery centers, or hospital procedural areas where the primary diagnostic or therapeutic procedure occurs.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Dental Anesthesia Services, Anesthesia Services for Interventional Pain Management Procedures in an Adult, General Anesthesia and Conscious Sedation Services.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient is an adult undergoing a short invasive diagnostic or therapeutic procedure (for example, endoscopic polypectomy, minor dermatologic excision, or short interventional radiology procedure) during which a provider performing the procedure administers local anesthesia or sedating medication but a separate qualified healthcare professional administers and monitors additional medication to achieve moderate sedation beyond the 15 minutes of intraservice time covered by the primary procedure code. The patient is monitored continuously by the sedation professional for airway, breathing, circulation, and level of consciousness during and after medication administration until recovery criteria are met. Documentation includes the indication for sedation, medication name(s), doses, route, start and stop times of sedation monitoring, pre- and post-procedure vital signs, ASA physical status, and recovery disposition. Typical sites of service include ambulatory surgical centers, hospital outpatient departments, endoscopy suites, and specialty procedure clinics where moderate sedation is administered by personnel other than the primary proceduralist.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    99155Moderate sedation services provided by the same physician or other qualified health care professional performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service, initial 15 minutesRepresents the intraservice moderate sedation time when the proceduralist also provides sedation; 99157 applies when a different qualified professional monitors beyond the initial 15 minutes.
    99156Moderate sedation services provided by the same physician or other qualified health care professional performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service, each additional 15 minutesUsed to report additional intraservice sedation time by the proceduralist; complements 99155 when longer intraservice sedation is required.
    99158Moderate sedation services provided by a physician or other qualified healthcare professional other than the provider performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service, initial 15 minutesUsed when a non-proceduralist provides the initial 15 minutes of moderate sedation monitoring; 99157 is used for subsequent 15-minute increments beyond those covered by the primary code.
    00400Anesthesia for procedures on integumentary system of head, neck, trunk and extremities; not otherwise specifiedExample anesthesia code that might be reported when general or regional anesthesia (rather than moderate sedation) is used for related procedures.
    99140Anesthesia complicated or prolonged procedure; report when anesthesia time is increasedUsed for reporting complicated/prolonged anesthesia care; related concept when sedation escalates to deeper or prolonged levels requiring additional coding.

    Related Modifiers

    9 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    23Modifier -23 (Unusual Anesthesia) is used on anesthesia service CPT codes when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia…- Use modifier -23 only on anesthesia CPT codes (00100–01999) when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia because of…
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
    80CPT® Modifier 80 (Assistant Surgeon) is appended to a surgical CPT code when a physician (MD or DO) provides full, continuous assistance throughout the operative procedure. It is intended only for…- Use CPT Modifier -80 when a physician (MD or DO) serves as an assistant surgeon and provides full, continuous assistance throughout the entire operative procedure; append -80 to the surgical CPT…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207L00000X
    208D00000X
    207RA0000X
    207LP2900X
    363L00000X
    332G00000X
    2080I0007X
    207VC0200X

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Anesthesiology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Dental Anesthesia ServicesProvidence Health Plan2026-10-01
    Anesthesia Services for Interventional Pain Management Procedures in an AdultCigna2026-09-15
    General Anesthesia and Conscious Sedation ServicesUnitedHealthcare2026-09-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Elective Inpatient Services (for Idaho Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-06-01
    Sites of Servicepriority health2026-06-01
    Coverage for Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU)/Outpatient Facility and Anesthesia for Dental Servicesuniverahealthcare2026-05-21

    Related Codes

    CPT-99151-PEDIATRIC-MODERATE-SEDATION-INITIAL-15-MINUTES

    CPT 99151: Moderate Procedural Sedation for Child <5 Years

    CPT-99152-PROCEDURAL-SEDATION-INITIAL-15-MINUTES

    CPT 99152: Moderate (Conscious) Sedation, Initial 15 Minutes

    CPT-99153-MODERATE-SEDATION-BEYOND-INTRASERVICE-TIME

    CPT 99153: Moderate Sedation with Observer Monitoring

    CPT-99155-PEDIATRIC-PROCEDURAL-SEDATION-INITIAL-15-MINUTES

    CPT 99155: Pediatric Moderate Sedation Medication Administration

    CPT-99156-MODERATE-SEDATION-INITIAL-15-MINUTES

    CPT 99156: Moderate Sedation, Initial 15 Minutes

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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