A 52-year-old patient requires moderate sedation after motor vehicle accident to repair multiple lacerations and set multiple broken bones. The sedation is performed in the emergency department by the attending physician and monitored by a nurse. The patient is under sedation for a total of 50 minutes. What is the correct CPT code just for the moderate sedation services performed?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

99144, 99145 is the correct code sequence for the moderate sedation of a patient older than five years of age. Code 99144 is for the first 30 minutes and 99145 is the add-on code for each additional 15 minutes after the first 30 minutes.
Code 99143 is incorrect because this code is for moderate sedation for patients under the age of five. Single codes 99144 and 99145 are incorrect and must be used together to indicate the appropriate length of time for the moderate sedation service.

A 52-Year-Old Patient Requires Moderate Sedation After Motor Vehicle Accident