Sedation used on a Dental Patient for a medical procedure

by  Christine Woolstenhulme, QCC, QMCS, CPC, CMRS
October 27th, 2016

When you need to bill a medical code instead of the dental code D9223, consider the following medical codes, and be sure to review the AMA guidelines to see if they fit the procedure you are doing. 

If a dental office is doing conscious Sedation for over 5 years old there is one code and one code if the patient is over 5 years old. There are also add on codes (+) for additional 15 minutes after the initial 30 minutes. In addition, there are codes if sedation is administered by a physician other than the health care professional performing the procedure; see codes 99148-99150. 

Moderate (Conscious) Sedation

Moderate sedation services (other than those services described by codes 00100-01999) provided by the same physician performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service that the sedation supports, requiring the presence of an independent trained observer to assist in the monitoring of the patient's level of consciousness and physiological status

99143 Moderate sedation services (other than those services described by codes 00100-01999) provided by the same physician or other qualified health care professional performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service that the sedation supports, requiring the presence of an independent trained observer to assist in the monitoring of the patient's level of consciousness and physiological status; younger than 5 years of age, first 30 minutes intra-service time

99144 Moderate sedation services (other than those services described by codes 00100-01999) provided by the same physician or other qualified health care professional performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service that the sedation supports, requiring the presence of an independent trained observer to assist in the monitoring of the patient's level of consciousness and physiological status; age 5 years or older, first 30 minutes intra-service time

+ 99145  Moderate sedation services (other than those services described by codes 00100-01999) provided by the same physician or other qualified health care professional performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service that the sedation supports, requiring the presence of an independent trained observer to assist in the monitoring of the patient's level of consciousness and physiological status; each additional 15 minutes intra-service time (List this code separately in addition to code for primary service)

* provided by a physician other than the health care professional performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service that the sedation supports

99148 - Moderate sedation services (other than those services described by codes 00100-01999), provided by a physician or other qualified health care professional other than the health care professional performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service that the sedation supports; younger than 5 years of age, first 30 minutes intra-service time

99149 - Moderate sedation services (other than those services described by codes 00100-01999), provided by a physician or other qualified health care professional other than the health care professional performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service that the sedation supports; age 5 years or older, first 30 minutes intra-service time

+99150 - Moderate sedation services (other than those services described by codes 00100-01999), provided by a physician or other qualified health care professional other than the health care professional performing the diagnostic or therapeutic service that the sedation supports; each additional 15 minutes intra-service time (List separately in addition to code for primary service)