Summary & Overview
CPT 01782: Anesthesia for Lower Leg, Ankle, and Foot Procedures
CPT code 01782 represents anesthesia for procedures on nerves, muscles, tendons, fascia, and bursae of the lower leg, ankle, and foot, when not otherwise specified. This code is significant for its broad applicability in lower extremity interventions, supporting patient safety and comfort during a variety of surgical and diagnostic procedures. Nationally, the code is recognized by major payers including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, and UnitedHealthcare, making it relevant for providers and facilities across the country.
This publication provides a comprehensive overview of 01782, including payer coverage, typical clinical scenarios, and associated benchmarks. Readers will gain insight into policy updates, coding practices, and the clinical context in which this anesthesia service is delivered. The analysis also highlights common modifiers, associated provider taxonomies, and related CPT and ICD-10 codes, offering a well-rounded perspective for stakeholders in anesthesiology and outpatient hospital care. The information is designed to support understanding of national trends and requirements for anesthesia billing in lower extremity procedures.
CPT Code Overview
CPT code 01782 is used to report anesthesia services for procedures involving nerves, muscles, tendons, fascia, and bursae of the lower leg, ankle, and foot when not otherwise specified. This code falls under the anesthesiology service type and is typically performed in an outpatient hospital setting (Place of Service 22). It is utilized for a range of procedures where specialized anesthesia care is required to ensure patient comfort and safety during interventions on these anatomical structures.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A patient presents to the outpatient hospital with acute pain and swelling in the right ankle following a sports injury. The orthopedic surgeon determines that a procedure involving the nerves, muscles, tendons, fascia, or bursae of the lower leg, ankle, or foot is required, but the specific procedure does not fall under other defined anesthesia codes. An anesthesiology provider administers anesthesia for the procedure, ensuring patient comfort and safety throughout. The clinical workflow involves preoperative assessment, anesthesia induction, intraoperative monitoring, and postoperative recovery, with documentation of anesthesia time and relevant modifiers as appropriate.
Coding Specifications
-
Modifiers:
Modifier Code Description QSMonitored anesthesia care service QXCRNA service with medical direction by a physician -
Modifier Usage:
- Use
QSwhen monitored anesthesia care is provided. - Use
QXwhen a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) provides the service under physician medical direction.
- Use
-
Provider Taxonomies:
Taxonomy Code Specialty Name 207L00000XAnesthesiology 367500000XCertified Registered Nurse Anesthetist 207RA0401XAnesthesiology Assistant -
Specialties Represented:
- Anesthesiology
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
- Anesthesiology Assistant
Related Diagnoses
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M25.571- Pain in right ankle and joints of right foot- Indicates pain localized to the right ankle and foot joints, often prompting procedures requiring anesthesia.
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M25.572- Pain in left ankle and joints of left foot- Represents pain in the left ankle and foot joints, relevant for anesthesia during interventions.
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M79.671- Pain in right foot- Used when pain is specifically in the right foot, supporting the need for procedures on foot structures.
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M79.672- Pain in left foot- Indicates pain in the left foot, clinically relevant for anesthesia in foot procedures.
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S93.401A- Sprain of unspecified ligament of right ankle, initial encounter- Represents an acute injury to the right ankle, often necessitating surgical or procedural intervention with anesthesia.
Related CPT Codes
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01480- Anesthesia for open procedures on bones of lower leg, ankle, and foot- Used when the procedure involves open surgery on the bones, as opposed to nerves, muscles, tendons, fascia, or bursae.
- May be used as an alternative to
01782if the procedure is bone-related and open.
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01490- Anesthesia for closed procedures on bones of lower leg, ankle, and foot- Used for closed bone procedures; serves as an alternative to
01782for bone-specific interventions.
- Used for closed bone procedures; serves as an alternative to
-
20680- Removal of implant; deep (e.g., buried wire, pin, screw, metal band, nail, rod or plate)- May be performed in conjunction with procedures requiring anesthesia coded as
01782if the removal involves nerves, muscles, tendons, fascia, or bursae.
- May be performed in conjunction with procedures requiring anesthesia coded as
-
27650- Repair, primary, open or percutaneous, and/or exploration, with or without grafting, of ruptured Achilles tendon; acute- Often requires anesthesia for tendon repair;
01782may be used if the anesthesia is for the tendon procedure not otherwise specified.
- Often requires anesthesia for tendon repair;
-
These codes are commonly used as alternatives or in conjunction with
01782depending on the specific anatomical structures involved and the nature of the procedure.
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
For CPT code 01782, national mean rates among commercial payers show substantial variation. The BUCA (average commercial) mean rate is $121.00, while UnitedHealth Group (UHC) is notably lower at $65.55. Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) and Cigna have the highest mean rates at $234.96 and $248.21, respectively. Medicare data is not available in the input.
Rate dispersion, measured by the difference between the 75th and 25th percentiles, is widest for Cigna ($259.00) and Aetna ($221.00), indicating significant variability in contracted rates. UnitedHealth Group has the tightest range ($25.17), suggesting more consistent reimbursement levels. The table and chart below present the full breakdown of national benchmarks for each payer.
State Benchmarks
State: AK1 / 50
Alaska Benchmarks
Alaska demonstrates a significant spread in reimbursement rates for CPT code 01782, with Blue Cross Blue Shield showing the widest range between the 25th and 75th percentiles ($298.50 minus $225.80 = $72.70). In contrast, Aetna and UnitedHealth Group have minimal rate variation, with all percentiles clustered closely around $72.00 to $75.00. This indicates that some payers in Alaska maintain consistent rates, while others, like Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA, offer broader variability.
Compared to national averages, Alaska's mean rates for most payers are notably higher, particularly for Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA. The table and chart below present the full breakdown of payer-specific reimbursement rates, highlighting the differences in payment levels and variability across the state.
Key Insights for Alaska
- Blue Cross Blue Shield is the highest paying payer for CPT 01782 in Alaska, with a mean rate of $267.24.
- UnitedHealth Group offers the lowest mean rate at $74.78.
- Alaska's mean rates for most payers are higher than national averages, especially for Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA.
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.