A change to some language in the Anesthesia Services chapter of the Medicare National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) manual recently created considerable confusion among participants in the on-line discussion maintained by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) for the Anesthesia Administration Assembly (AAA).The information that gave rise to the confusion has been clarified.  The NCCI has confirmed that there has been no policy change here; epidurals and blocks placed preoperatively for the management of postoperative pain are still separately reportable and not bundled into the anesthesia service unless they are used as the method of administering the anesthesia itself. Because the issue of post-op pain management is a perennial hot topic, we take this opportunity to help ensure that no incorrect interpretations take root.Chapter II of the NCCI manual, “Anesthesia Services,” was revised effective January 1, 2012.  It contains a number of statements that are consistent with the established principles of billing...