Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Question: Our neurologist sees patients for standard office visits at three locations. Two of the offices include sleep labs for sleep studies. Our former coder reported place of service 99 when she billed the sleep studies. Is that correct, or should I submit a different place of service?


North Carolina Subscriber

Answer: The correct place of service code depends on where the sleep lab is located. If your sleep lab is attached to the office, report POS 11 (Office).

If your neurologist performs a study in a hospital sleep lab, report POS 21 (Inpatient hospital) or 22 (Outpatient hospital), depending on whether the patient has been admitted.
 
Use detailed POS designations (such as 11, 21 or 22) whenever possible because they give the carrier more information about the claim. Report the more general POS 99 (Other place of service) in unusual circumstances, such as when your physician visits a patient in someone else's clinic.