Teaching Anesthesiologist

If a teaching anesthesiologist is involved in a single procedure with one resident, the anesthesia services will be paid at the personally performed rate. The teaching physician must document in the medical records that he/she was present during all critical (or key) portions of the procedure.

The teaching physician's physical presence during only the preoperative or postoperative visits with the beneficiary is not sufficient to receive Medicare payment. If an anesthesiologist is involved in concurrent procedures with more than one resident or with a resident and a non-physician anesthetist, the anesthesiologist's services will be paid at the medically directed rate.

  • If immediately available, may be covered to furnish anesthesia during entire procedure
  • To indicate the service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician, append modifier GC after anesthesia modifier
  • May be paid for the following under Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS)
    • For training involving resident for single anesthesia case
    • Two concurrent cases involving residents
    • Single anesthesia case concurrent to another case paid under "medical direction"

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Last Updated Dec 09 , 2022