Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Select EMG Codes by Location

You must bill EMG guidance by location. For example, if the neurologist provides an injection to one arm under guidance, report 95860 (in addition to the code for the injection and supplies), says Marvel J. Hammer, RN, CPC, CHCO, owner of MJH Consulting, a healthcare reimbursement consulting firm in Denver. But if he or she provides injections under guidance bilaterally, report 95861, she says.
 
And, you may report an E/M service on the same date as a Myobloc injection as long as the physician provides a significant and separately identifiable evaluation and you append modifier -25 (Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure or other service) to the appropriate E/M code, says Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CHBME, president of Cash Flow Solutions Inc., a reimbursement consulting firm recently relocated to Brick, N.J.
 
For instance, the cervical dystonia patient arrives for her Myobloc injection, complaining of pain in her neck at the previous injection site. The neurologist suspects an infection and performs a level-two evaluation of the patient, only to find that the patient has minor bruising on the neck at the prior injection site but no infection. He then administers the Myobloc injection for that visit. You should code the encounter as follows: