READER QUESTIONS:
Incorporate NST With Global Code
Published on Tue May 03, 2005
Question: Can we bill an NST when we check a maternity patient for contractions in the office?
Vermont Subscriber
Answer: No. A non-stress test (NST) requires the ob-gyn to complete certain steps before you can bill a code for this service, and the mother must denote fetal movement during the test (over about 30-40 minutes).
The purpose of this test is to assess the well-being of the baby. If the ob-gyn simply puts the patient on the monitor to count contractions (whether in the office or in the hospital during labor), you would normally include this service as part of the global.
You cannot bill the service you describe using 59025 (Fetal non-stress test), not even with a reduced-service modifier. You might be able to make a case for an E/M service outside the routine care if a complication of the pregnancy made it necessary for the ob-gyn to check for contractions.
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