Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Your shortcut to choosing accurate neurostimulator codes
 
Now that you-ve mastered reporting guidelines for neurostimulator programming, save yourself some time flipping through the CPT manual. Below are the codes you need to report your neurologist's work. And to help you sift through the descriptors, the most important distinguishing factors of each code are emphasized.

- 95970--Electronic analysis of implanted neurostimulator pulse generator system (e.g., rate, pulse amplitude and duration, configuration of wave form, battery status, electrode selectability, output modulation, cycling, impedance and patient compliance measure-ments); simple or complex brain, spinal cord, or peripheral (i.e., cranial nerve, peripheral nerve, autonomic nerve, neuromuscular) neurostimulator pulse generator/transmitter, without reprogramming

- 95971--- simple spinal cord, or peripheral (i.e., peripheral nerve, autonomic nerve, neuromuscular) neurostimulator pulse generator/transmitter, with intraoperative or subsequent programming

- 95972--- complex spinal cord, or peripheral (except cranial nerve) neurostimulator pulse generator/ transmitter, with intraoperative or subsequent programming, first hour

- +95973--- complex spinal cord, or peripheral (except cranial nerve) neurostimulator pulse generator/ transmitter, with intraoperative or subsequent programming, each additional 30 minutes after first hour

- 95974--- complex cranial nerve neurostimulator pulse generator/transmitter, with intraoperative or subsequent programming, with or without nerve interface testing, first hour

- +95975--- complex cranial nerve neurostimulator pulse generator/transmitter, with intraoperative or subsequent programming, each additional 30 minutes after first hour

- 95978-- ... Electronic analysis of implanted neurostimulator pulse generator system (e.g., rate, pulse amplitude and duration, battery status, electrode selectability and polarity, impedance and patient compliance measurements), complex deep brain neurostimulator pulse generator/transmitter, with initial or subsequent programming; first hour

- +95979--- each additional 30 minutes after first hour.