Eli's Rehab Report

CCI 8.0 Disallows Billing New Motion Analysis with EMG

CCI 8.0, effective Jan. 1 through March 31, includes more than 8,000 changes. Most significant to PM&R coders are the edits that disallow billing motion analysis codes with electromyogram (EMG); therapy evaluation codes with medical nutrition therapy; and E/M codes with health and behavior assessment codes.
 
The new motion analysis codes 96000-96004, which were introduced in 2002 to describe 3-D kinematic motion analyses (normally of a patients gait), cannot be billed with the EMG codes 95860-95872. CPT Codes 2002 indicates that the motion analysis codes should not be billed in addition to the EMG codes, since EMG is already included in the motion analysis code; but the CCI edit makes the recommendation more concrete. Coders are advised that any claim with a motion analysis code and an EMG code will be returned with only the motion analysis code paid.
 
In addition, the medical nutrition therapy (MNT) codes (97802-97804), which were introduced in 2001 but were not payable under Medicare until January of this year, cannot be billed with E/M codes (99201-99456) or the physical and occupational therapy evaluation and reevaluation codes (97001-97004). Claims submitted for these services on the same date of service for the same patient and provider will be returned with the MNT codes rejected and only the evaluation code paid.