Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: Can you bill 95816 with 95700?

New York Subscriber

Answer: No. In a parenthetical note for 95816 (Electroencephalogram (EEG); including recording awake and drowsy), CPT^® instructs you not to report 95816 in conjunction with new EEG codes 95700 (Electroencephalogram (EEG) continuous recording, with video when performed, setup, patient education, and takedown when performed, administered in person by EEG technologist, minimum of 8 channels)-95726 (Electroencephalogram (EEG), continuous recording, physician or other qualified health care professional review of recorded events, analysis of spike and seizure detection, interpretation, and summary report, complete study; greater than 84 hours of EEG recording, with video (VEEG)).

Long-term continuous recording EEG procedures like 95700 differ from routine EEG procedures like 95816 (Electroencephalogram (EEG); including recording awake and drowsy). Long-term continuous recording EEGs capture brainwave activity for two hours or greater. On the other hand, routine EEGs capture brainwaves for less than two hours.

Code 95700 explained: You should report 95700 for long-term EEG setup.

“Code 95700 describes any long-term continuous EEG/VEEG recording, setup, takedown when performed, and patient/caregiver education by the EEG technologist(s),” according to CPT^®. You should report 95700 only once per recording period.

When you report 95700, make sure the setup includes a minimum of eight channels of EEG. If the service uses fewer than eight channels, then you should report 95999 (Unlisted neurological or neuromuscular diagnostic procedure). Additionally, if an individual who does not meet the definition of an EEG technologist, as defined by the guidelines, performs the setup, then you should report 95999, not 95700.