View Associated Notes
Category 3 - THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES
18252 - Additional Information
Cervical plexus, injection of an anaesthetic agent, not in association with a service to which an item in Group T8 applies, unless the nerve block is performed using a targeted percutaneous approach
Fee: $114.90 Benefit: 75% = $86.20 85% = $97.70
(See para TN.7.1, TN.7.5 of explanatory notes to this Category)
Associated Notes
Category 3 - THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES
TN.7.1
Regional or Field Nerve Blocks - General
A nerve block is interpreted as the anaesthetising of a substantial segment of the body innervated by a large nerve or an area supplied by a smaller nerve where the technique demands expert anatomical knowledge and a high degree of precision.
Where anaesthesia combines a regional nerve block with general anaesthesia for an operative procedure, benefit will be paid only under the relevant anaesthesia item as set out in Group T10.
Where a regional or field nerve block is administered by a medical practitioner other than the practitioner carrying out the operation, the block attracts benefits under the Group T10 anaesthesia item and not the block item in Group T7.
If not stipulated in the item descriptor, when a regional nerve block or field nerve block covered by an item in Group T7 of the Schedule is administered by a medical practitioner in the course of a surgical procedure undertaken by the same medical practitioner, then such a block will attract benefit under the appropriate item in Group T7.
If stipulated in the item descriptor, when a regional nerve block or field nerve block covered by an item in Group T7 of the Schedule is administered by a medical practitioner in the course of a surgical procedure the block will not attract benefit under the relevant item in Group T7 unless the block has been performed using a targeted percutaneous approach. If the block has been performed using a targeted percutaneous approach this must be noted on the Medicare claim.
When a block is carried out in cases not associated with an operation, such as for pain or during labour, the service falls under Group T7.
Digital ring analgesia, local infiltration into tissue surrounding a lesion or paracervical (uterine) analgesia are not eligible for the payment of Medicare benefits under items within Group T7. Where procedures are carried out with local infiltration or digital block as the means of anaesthesia, that anaesthesia is considered to be part of the procedure.
Related Items: 18228 18232 18234 18236 18238 18244 18252 18254 18262 18264 18266 18278 18280
Category 3 - THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES
TN.7.5
Regional or Field Nerve Blocks - (Items 18234 to 18298)
Items in the range 18234 - 18298 are intended to cover the injection of anaesthetic into the nerve or nerve sheath and not for the treatment of carpal tunnel or similar compression syndromes.
Paravertebral nerve block item 18276 covers the provision of regional anaesthesia for surgical and related procedures for the management acute pain or of chronic pain related to radiculopathy. Blockade of lumbar paravertebral nerves should be claimed under 18276. Infiltration of the soft tissue of the paravertebral area for the treatment of other pain symptoms does not attract benefit under this item. Additionally, item 18276 does not cover zygo‑apophyseal joint blocks/injections. This procedure is covered under item 39013.
Item 18292 may not be claimed for the injection of botulinum toxin, but may be claimed where a neurolytic agent (such as phenol) is used to treat the obturator nerve in patients receiving botulinum toxin injections under item 18354 for a dynamic foot deformity.
Related Items: 18234 18236 18238 18240 18242 18244 18248 18250 18252 18254 18256 18258 18260 18262 18264 18266 18268 18270 18272 18276 18278 18280 18282 18284 18286 18288 18292 18354 39013
Legend
- Assist - Addition/Deletion of (Assist.)
- Amend - Amended Description
- Anaes - Anaesthetic Values Amended
- Emsn - EMSN Change
- Fee - Fee Amended
- Renum - Item Number Change (renumbered)
- New - New Item
- NewMin - New Item (previous Ministerial Determination)
- Qfe - QFE Change