Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

To avoid denials, make sure you're up to date on these crucial 2012 programming changes. You should report codes depending upon the number of changes that were made in the pulse generator. You do not look at what the generator is capable of affecting. Changes may be done for pulse amplitude, pulse duration, train spacing, number of programs, number of channels, alternating electrode polarities, output modulation, cycling, impedance and patient compliance measurements. "If the generator is only analyzed with no programming, then code 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 measurements]; simple or complex brain, spinal cord, or peripheral (i.e., cranial nerve, peripheral nerve, sacral nerve, neuromuscular) neurostimulator pulse generator/transmitter, without reprogramming) is reported," says says Marvel Hammer, RN, CPC, CCS-P, PCS, ACS-PM, CHCO, owner of MJH [...]