Pain Management Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Tread Carefully When Using These New Test Codes

Published on Thu Aug 08, 2019

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Question: How should I report neuropsychological test administration and scoring when a provider performs it in-office? Are we supposed to use standard evaluation and management (E/M) office visit codes?

Idaho Subscriber

Answer: You shouldn’t use E/M codes for these services … except that you might have to if that’s what the payer wants. There are codes for neuropsychological test administration and scoring in CPT® 2019, but they’re brand new and payers might not be accepting them yet.

New codes: The 2019 codes for neuropsychological test administration and scoring are as follows:

96136 — Psychological or neuropsychological test administration and scoring by physician or other qualified health care professional, two or more tests, any method; first 30 minutes)
+96137 — … each additional 30 minutes (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
96138 — Psychological or neuropsychological test administration and scoring by technician, two or more tests, any method; first 30 minutes
+96139 — … each additional 30 minutes (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure).

Remember to choose your code based on the type of provider that performs and scores the test. Also, remember that +96137 and +96139 are add-on codes; never use them without 96136 or 96138, respectively.

Caveat: Remember, these are new codes, and insurers sometimes lag in their acceptance of new codes. Before you use any of the above codes for neuropsychological test administration and scoring, check with your payer to see how it wants you to report the service.