Summary & Overview
CPT 99192: Mechanical Pump–Oxygenator Operation for Extracorporeal Circulation
CPT code 99192 identifies the assembly and operation of a mechanical pump–oxygenator or heat exchanger for extracorporeal circulation and oxygenation of blood, billed per 30 minutes. This perfusion service is central to cardiopulmonary bypass during cardiac surgery and other procedures requiring blood oxygenation outside the body, making it a critical component of operative care for complex cardiac cases nationwide. Key national payers included in the coverage analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise briefing on the clinical role and procedural context of 99192, an overview of payer coverage patterns and where available benchmarking information, and discussion of billing considerations tied to the service line. The publication summarizes typical sites of service and common billing modifiers associated with this perfusion procedure, highlights implications for surgical teams and billing departments, and notes where input data was not provided. Data not available in the input is explicitly marked in relevant sections.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 99192 describes the assembly and operation of a mechanical pump–oxygenator or heat exchanger for extracorporeal circulation and oxygenation of blood. This service covers a 30-minute interval and may include monitoring of the patient’s blood pressure and performing an electrocardiogram. The procedure supports cardiopulmonary bypass and other cardiac surgical procedures that require external circulation and oxygenation of blood.
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Service type: Extracorporeal circulation setup and operation, perfusion support
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Typical site of service: Operating room or other procedural/surgical suite where cardiac surgery or invasive cardiopulmonary procedures are performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 62-year-old male with severe multivessel coronary artery disease is scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting under cardiopulmonary bypass. In the preoperative area, the perfusionist prepares a mechanical pump–oxygenator and heat exchanger to provide extracorporeal circulation and blood oxygenation during cardiac arrest. The perfusionist assembles the circuit, primes it, verifies oxygenator function and heater–cooler parameters, and moves the device to the operating room. After anesthetic induction and sternotomy, the perfusionist connects the cannulae to the pump–oxygenator, initiates extracorporeal circulation, and monitors flow, pressures, temperature, arterial blood gases, and oxygenator performance for the planned 30-minute interval (or increments thereof). The documented service includes setup and operation of the pump–oxygenator; monitoring of mean arterial pressure and electrocardiogram tracings may be included as part of the intraoperative perfusion monitoring workflow. Typical site of service is an inpatient operating room during cardiac surgery; the provider is commonly a certified clinical perfusionist working with cardiothoracic surgeons and anesthesiologists.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Standard reporting when no additional modifier applies |
62 |