UB04 Revenue Code Code 0370: Anesthesia

Overview

Revenue code 0370 is defined under the 037X: Anesthesia category on the UB-04 claim form. According to the Noridian Medicare revenue code listing, 0370 represents “General” anesthesia services. ^[1] states: “037X: Anesthesia - 0370 General, 0371 Incident to radiology, 0372 Incident to other diagnostic, 0374 Acupuncture, 0379 Other.” This code is used to report anesthesia services that are not incident to radiology, other diagnostic procedures, or acupuncture. The same Noridian source also groups anesthesia under the 037X series, which includes sub‑categories for specialized contexts. General anesthesia (0370) is the most common code in this series, typically billed when a patient receives anesthesia during a surgical procedure. The MassHealth UB‑04 Billing Guide provides overarching billing rules that apply to all revenue codes, including the requirement that “up to 22 revenue codes and associated charges may be entered on each UB-04 claim form.” ^[2] (page 2). This guide also notes that for outpatient claims, “bundle services to submit the claim on a single form.” Therefore, when billing anesthesia under code 0370, providers must adhere to these general claim‑completion standards. The combination of the Noridian code definition and MassHealth instructions forms the basis for using revenue code 0370.

When to Use

Revenue code 0370 should be used when anesthesia services are provided that fall under the “General” category—i.e., anesthesia not specifically incidental to radiology or other diagnostic services, and not acupuncture. The Noridian source explicitly lists 0370 as “General” within the 037X series, distinguishing it from 0371 (incident to radiology), 0372 (incident to other diagnostic), 0374 (acupuncture), and 0379 (other). ^[1]. In practice, this code is appropriate for anesthesia administered during surgical procedures, including inpatient and outpatient surgeries, where the anesthesia is separately billable. The MassHealth UB‑04 guide emphasizes that a separate claim form must be used for each member, and that providers must “complete a separate claim form for each member to whom services” are rendered. ^[2] (page 2). Additionally, for outpatient claims, services must be bundled to avoid exceeding the 22‑line limit. If the anesthesia service is the only or primary service, code 0370 is entered with the associated charge. If the anesthesia is part of a larger surgical claim, the revenue code 0370 line should be included alongside other revenue codes (e.g., 036X for operating room services) within the same claim. Providers should also verify that no other sub‑code (e.g., 0371 or 0372) more accurately describes the service. Only when the anesthesia is truly “general” and not linked to radiology or diagnostic procedures should 0370 be selected.

Step-by-Step Claim Example

Consider a patient undergoing an inpatient surgical procedure that requires general anesthesia. The provider bills the hospital stay on a UB‑04 claim form. Following the MassHealth UB‑04 guide, “up to 22 revenue codes and associated charges may be entered on each UB-04 claim form.” ^[2] (page 2). For the anesthesia component, the provider enters revenue code 0370 (General Anesthesia) in the appropriate field of the claim form. The charge for the anesthesia service is entered in the corresponding charge column.

Example claim lines (partial):

Line	Revenue Code	Description	Charge
1	0360	Operating Room Services – General	$5,000
2	0370	Anesthesia – General	$1,200
3	0250	Pharmacy – General	$400

As noted in the MassHealth guide, for outpatient claims the provider must “bundle services to submit the claim on a single form.” If this were an outpatient surgery, the anesthesia charge would be combined with other outpatient revenue codes on one form, ensuring that no more than 22 lines are used. The provider must also “complete a separate claim form for each member,” so this claim would pertain to one patient only. ^[2] (page 2). After entering the revenue code 0370 and the charge, the claim is submitted either electronically (mandatory unless a waiver is approved) or on paper with an approved waiver. This example demonstrates the straightforward use of code 0370 when general anesthesia is billed separately from other facility services.

Common Mistakes & Audit Red Flags

Several common errors can occur when billing revenue code 0370, and these may trigger audits or claim denials. First, using the wrong sub‑code. The Noridian code list includes 0371 (Incident to radiology), 0372 (Incident to other diagnostic), 0374 (Acupuncture), and 0379 (Other). ^[1]. Billing 0370 for anesthesia that is incidental to a radiology service (e.g., for an MRI under anesthesia) would be incorrect and could be flagged. Providers must match the anesthesia type to the correct sub‑code.

Second, unbundling anesthesia charges. The MassHealth UB‑04 guide states that “for outpatient claims, bundle services to submit the claim on a single form.” ^[2] (page 2). Splitting anesthesia into multiple revenue code lines (e.g., 0370 for base and another code for additional services) when it should be a single line may be considered unbundling and lead to recoupment.

Third, exceeding the 22‑line limit. The same guide warns that only 22 revenue codes and charges can be listed per claim. If a claim with 0370 plus other lines exceeds 22, the provider must “submit an electronic claim” for inpatient services or further bundle for outpatient services. ^[2] (page 2). Failure to do so results in rejection.

Fourth, missing or inaccurate charges. Revenue code 0370 must always be accompanied by a corresponding charge in the charge column. Leaving it blank or entering $0 can be misinterpreted as a data error. Providers should verify that the anesthesia charge is appropriate and supported by the clinical record.

Audit red flags include frequent use of 0370 when sub‑codes like 0371 are more appropriate, especially for radiology‑guided procedures. Also, outpatient claims with many individual lines (e.g., separate line for anesthesia time vs. drugs) instead of a single bundled 0370 line may attract review. To avoid these pitfalls, apply the correct sub‑code based on the procedure context and adhere to the bundling rules from MassHealth.

Related Codes/Fields

The table below lists the anesthesia sub‑codes under the 037X series as provided by Noridian, along with adjacent revenue code series that often appear on claims with 0370.

Revenue Code	Description (from Noridian)	Source
0370	Anesthesia – General	[1]
0371	Anesthesia – Incident to radiology	[1]
0372	Anesthesia – Incident to other diagnostic	[1]
0374	Anesthesia – Acupuncture	[1]
0379	Anesthesia – Other	[1]
0360	Operating Room Services – General	[1]
0361	Operating Room – Minor surgery	[1]
0362	Operating Room – Organ transplant non‑kidney	[1]
0367	Operating Room – Kidney transplant	[1]
0369	Operating Room – Other	[1]

Note: The UB‑04 claim form uses Field 42 for the revenue code, as is standard, and the associated charge is entered in Field 47 (or a charge column on paper forms). While the provided MassHealth guide does not explicitly cite field numbers, it refers to “revenue codes and associated charges” being entered. The Noridian source only lists revenue code values; field placement is a common UB‑04 convention not contradicted by the sources. Providers should refer to their local payer instructions for exact field mapping.

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References

[1] Noridian Revenue Codes — https://med.noridianmedicare.com/web/jea/topics/claim-submission/revenue-codes

[2] MassHealth UB-04 Guide — https://www.mass.gov/doc/ub-04-billing-guide-0/download