Summary & Overview
CPT 00912: Anesthesia for Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor
CPT code 00912 represents anesthesia for transurethral resection of bladder tumor(s), a critical procedure in urologic oncology. This code is widely recognized across national payers, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, and UnitedHealthcare, reflecting its importance in outpatient surgical care. The publication provides a comprehensive overview of clinical indications, typical sites of service, and relevant billing practices for this anesthesia service.
Readers will gain insight into the clinical context of transurethral bladder tumor resections, including the role of anesthesia in patient management and safety. The article covers key policy updates, common modifiers such as QS and QX, and associated provider taxonomies. Benchmarks and related codes are discussed to help stakeholders understand coding nuances and reimbursement trends. The summary also highlights relevant ICD-10 diagnoses frequently associated with this procedure, offering a clear picture of its application in clinical practice. This resource is designed for healthcare professionals, billing specialists, and policy analysts seeking up-to-date information on anesthesia coding for urologic procedures.
CPT Code Overview
CPT code 00912 is used to report anesthesia services for transurethral procedures, specifically for transurethral resection of bladder tumor(s). This code falls under the Anesthesiology service type and is most commonly performed in an Outpatient Hospital setting (Place of Service 22). The procedure involves providing anesthesia care during surgical interventions aimed at removing bladder tumors through the urethra, ensuring patient comfort and safety throughout the operation.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient scenario involves an adult presenting to the outpatient hospital with symptoms such as hematuria, urinary frequency, or pain, leading to the diagnosis of a bladder tumor. The patient is scheduled for a transurethral resection of bladder tumor(s) under anesthesia. The anesthesiology team evaluates the patient preoperatively, administers anesthesia during the procedure, and monitors the patient throughout the perioperative period. The procedure is performed in an outpatient hospital setting, and anesthesia services are provided by an anesthesiologist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, or anesthesiology assistant.
Coding Specifications
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Modifiers:
Modifier Code Description QSMonitored anesthesia care service QXCRNA service with medical direction by a physician - Modifier
QSis used when monitored anesthesia care is provided. - Modifier
QXis used when a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) provides the service under physician medical direction.
- Modifier
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Provider Taxonomies:
Taxonomy Code Specialty Name 207L00000XAnesthesiology 367500000XCertified Registered Nurse Anesthetist 207RA0401XAnesthesiology Assistant 207L00000Xrepresents board-certified anesthesiologists.367500000Xrepresents CRNAs.207RA0401Xrepresents anesthesiology assistants.
Related Diagnoses
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M23.50- Chronic instability of knee, unspecified knee- Not directly related to bladder tumor resection; may represent comorbidities affecting anesthesia risk.
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M25.561- Pain in right knee- Not directly related to the procedure; may be documented as a comorbidity.
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M25.562- Pain in left knee- Not directly related to the procedure; may be documented as a comorbidity.
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M17.11- Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, right knee- Not directly related to bladder tumor resection; may impact perioperative management.
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M17.12- Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, left knee- Not directly related to bladder tumor resection; may impact perioperative management.
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These diagnoses are not directly relevant to the anesthesia for transurethral resection of bladder tumor(s), but may be included in the patient's medical history and affect anesthesia planning.
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Clinical Relationship |
|---|---|---|
00910 | Anesthesia for transurethral procedures with urethrocystoscopy NOS | Used for similar procedures; may be an alternative to 00912 |
00914 | Anesthesia for transurethral resection of prostate | Related to urologic procedures; not for bladder tumor resection |
00916 | Anesthesia for post-transurethral resection bleeding | Used when addressing bleeding after resection procedures |
00918 | Anesthesia for transurethral fragmentation and/or removal of ureteral calculus | Used for stone removal procedures; alternative to 00912 |
- These codes are related to anesthesia for various transurethral urologic procedures.
00910and00912may be used as alternatives depending on the specific procedure performed.00914,00916, and00918are used for different but related urologic interventions.
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National mean rates for CPT code 00912 show that Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cigna have the highest average reimbursement, with $287.98 and $298.29 respectively. UnitedHealth Group is notably lower at $65.59, while the BUCA average commercial rate stands at $157.43. Medicare rates are not available in the input for comparison.
Rate dispersion varies significantly across payers. Blue Cross Blue Shield has the tightest range between the 25th and 75th percentiles ($184.11), indicating more consistent reimbursement. Cigna displays the widest spread ($345.00), suggesting greater variability in payment rates. The table and chart below present the full breakdown of national benchmarks for each payer.
State Benchmarks
State: AK1 / 50
Alaska Benchmarks
Alaska displays a wide spread in reimbursement rates for CPT code 00912, with Blue Cross Blue Shield showing the largest rate range (75th percentile minus 25th percentile: $96.90), followed by BUCA ($162.51). In contrast, Aetna and UnitedHealth Group have minimal rate spreads, both with only $4.00 difference between the 25th and 75th percentiles, indicating little variation in their payments. Cigna also shows a narrow spread of $8.00. This suggests that some payers in Alaska maintain consistent rates, while others have significant variability.
Compared to national averages, Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA in Alaska pay notably higher mean rates, while Cigna and UnitedHealth Group pay substantially less than their national benchmarks. The table and chart below present the full breakdown of payer-specific rates for Alaska.
Key Insights for Alaska
- Blue Cross Blue Shield is the highest paying payer in Alaska for CPT 00912, with a mean rate of $330.56.
- UnitedHealth Group offers the lowest mean rate at $75.12, significantly below both the state and national averages.
- Cigna's mean rate in Alaska ($89.33) is much lower than its national average ($298.29), indicating a substantial deviation.
Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.