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Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Call on -50 for Bilateral H-Reflex

Published on Sat Jun 25, 2005

Question: Are codes 95934 and 95936 unilateral or bilateral? Can I charge extra if the physician tests bilaterally, or should I be appending modifier -52 for unilateral tests?


North Carolina Subscriber
Answer: Codes 95934 (H-reflex, amplitude and latency study; record gastrocnemius/soleus muscle) and 95936 (...record muscle other than gastrocnemius/soleus muscle) describe unilateral procedures. Therefore, you needn't append modifier -52 (Reduced services) if the neurologists tests unilaterally. A note in CPT following the code descriptors for 95934 and 95936 specifically instructs that you may append modifier -50 (Bilateral procedure) if the neurologists conducts the tests on both sides of the body.
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