Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Question: Is there a code for surface electromyographies (EMGs) that are used for tremors and dystonia?
  
Colorado Subscriber
 
Answer:  Surface EMG has no code other than 95999 (unlisted neurological or neuromuscular diagnostic procedure), according to the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AAEM). To get paid for it, you may want to get prior approval from the payer and attach documentation. In your documentation, you might also want to include the code of a procedure that compares to surface EMGs in terms of skill, overhead, risk and relative value units (RVUs) to help justify the charge you are submitting. You also might want to check with the payer to see if there is another acceptable substitute code that they would prefer or allow you to use.
 
AAEM indicates that the development of a code for surface EMG is being reviewed.
 
Clinical and coding expertise for You Be the Coder and Reader Questions provided by Neil Busis, MD, chief of the division of neurology and director of the neurodiagnostic laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center at Shadyside, and clinical associate professor in the department of neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; and Laureen Jandroep, OTR, CPC, CCS-P, CPC-H, consultant and CPC trainer for A+ Medical Management and Education in Egg Harbor City, N.J.