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Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Inching Along Doesn't Merit Separate Code

Published on Tue Mar 04, 2008

Question: Does CPT include a separate code for "inching" nerve conduction studies? California Subscriber Answer: No, CPT does not include a separate, unique code for inching. Keep these two tips in mind when you-re reporting these tests: - If your neurologist performs the inching test on the same nerve that he has already completed a standard nerve conduction study (NCS) on during that same session, you can only bill the NCS. - You can bill an NCS code for an inching study if your physician performs the inching study on a separate nerve (that is, one that hasn't already been tested with the NCS) and if your physician repositions the recording electrodes during the test performance. The correct NCS code depends on which type of nerve your physician tests and whether he uses an F-wave study. Your choices include: - 95900 -- Nerve conduction, amplitude and latency/velocity study, each nerve; motor, without F-wave study - 95903 -- - motor, with F-wave study - 95904 -- - sensory.
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