You Be the Coder:
Ischemic Limb Exercise Testing
Published on Mon Apr 01, 2002
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the box below for the answer.
Question: I noticed that the definition for 95875 changed for 2002. How will this affect coding for an ischemic limb exercise test?
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| Answer: Prior to CPT 2002, the code descriptor for 95875 (Ischemic limb exercise test with serial specimen[s] acquisition for muscle metabolite[s]) specified "ischemic limb exercise with needle electromyography, with lactic acid determination." The revised descriptor omits the reference to needle electromyography (EMG) and indicates that the procedure includes specimen acquisitions. This was done because EMG is no longer a standard part of this procedure. When EMG (e.g., 95870, Needle electromyography; limited study of muscles in one extremity or non-limb [axial] muscles [unilateral or bilateral], other than thoracic paraspinal, cranial nerve supplied muscles, or sphincters) is performed with the ischemic limb exercise test, it should be billed separately.
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