Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Best practice: Look for the functional component and keep a close count on the nerve(s) treated. When coding nerve conduction studies, you may be faced with denials if you aren't reporting the code(s) for every unit of service in the nerve conduction study (NCS). Take a look at the guidance below to stay on the right path to full reimbursement. 1. Look for the Sensory or Motor Component When coding for nerve conduction, first look for whether the physician is trying to study a motor or a sensory nerve as codes specify these two types. Motor nerves are those that carry commands of movement from the centers in the brain or spinal cord to the extremities. Sensory nerves, on the other hand, carry sensations from the periphery to the centers in the brain or the spinal cord. You report code 95904 (Nerve conduction, amplitude and latency/velocity study, each nerve; sensory) [...]