Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Motor NCS (95900 and 95903) describes stimulation at various points along a motor nerve containing motor fibers only. The neurologist records responses from a muscle innervated by those fibers. Codes 95900 and 95903 differ in that the latter includes the recording of F-waves, which includes additional stimulation to obtain more responses (at least 10).

Note: CPT no longer contains a code to describe recording of F-waves only.

Sensory NCS (95904) involves stimulation of sensory fibers only, with recording on a different site along the same nerve. Sensory NCS can also involve stimulation of a nerve containing motor and sensory fibers while recording over an exclusively sensory branch of the same nerve.

Mixed NCS (95904) describes stimulation of a nerve containing both motor and sensory fibers (a mixed nerve) and recording from a different location (also containing both motor and sensory nerve fibers) along the same nerve.

Don't overlook: In 2002, CPT eliminated the term "or mixed" from the descriptor of 95904 to avoid the misconception that 95904 bundled motor and sensory studies (i.e., instead of reimbursing for one motor study [95900/95903] and one sensory study [95904], the insurer paid for a single "mixed" study [95904]). A true mixed NCS, however, is separate and distinct from either sensory or motor studies, and payers should reimburse mixed studies independently.