Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

The latest National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) has released hundreds of edits involving new-for-2005 central motor evoked potential (EP) study codes 95928 (for upper limbs) and 95929 (for lower limbs). But the effects won't be as bad for neurology practice as you might think.
 
NCCI version 11.0 makes EP codes 95928 and 95929 components of 472 other codes - including 57 codes from the musculoskeletal system surgery section and 410 from the nervous system surgery section. You won't be able to use a modifier to override the edits.
 
In a similar move, NCCI now bundles electromyography (EMG) code 95870 (Needle electromyography; limited study of muscles in one extremity or non-limb [axial] muscles [unilateral or bilateral], other than thoracic paraspinal, cranial nerve supplied muscles, or sphincters) to 469 codes, including 60 musculoskeletal system surgery codes and 407 neurosurgery codes. Once again, you won't be able to use a modifier to override these edits.
 
You shouldn't worry about the edits too much, however: Neurologists don't provide surgical care and, as such, shouldn't find themselves having to worry about when to bundle EPs or EMGs with neurosurgical or orthopedic procedures.