Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Question: My neurologist spent 110 minutes programming a complex Vagus nerve neurostimulator generator. Should I report 95974 twice? Maryland Subscriber Answer: You should only report 95974 (... complex cranial nerve neurostimulator pulse generator/transmitter, with intraoperative or subsequent programming, with or without nerve interface testing, first hour) once. You'll use 95974 to report the first hour your neurologist spends on programming and intraoperative or subsequent electronic analysis of a neurostimulator. Then, report +95975 (... complex cranial nerve neurostimulator pulse generator/transmitter, with intraoperative or subsequent programming, each additional 30 minutes after first hour) to report each additional 30 minutes. In this case, you'll report 95974 once and +95975 x 2. The Vagus nerve is also known as the cranial nerve X. Therefore, 95974 and +95975 are the appropriate codes for the stimulation your neurologist provided. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an effective therapy for medically refractory partial-onset seizures. Always base your complex [...]