Pulmonology Coding Alert

Question: A patient recently underwent a procedure to have a phrenic nerve stimulator system implanted. The patient returned for interrogation and programming during polysomnography. The polysomnography was attended by a technologist, and the provider captured sleep staging and three additional sleep parameters.

What codes will I assign for the procedure?

Texas Subscriber

Answer: You’ll assign 93152 (Interrogation and programming of implanted phrenic nerve stimulator system during polysomnography) to report the implanted phrenic nerve stimulator system interrogation and programming. A phrenic nerve stimulation system delivers electrical stimulation to the patient’s phrenic nerve to force the diaphragm to contract.

You’ll then assign 95808 (Polysomnography; any age, sleep staging with 1-3 additional parameters of sleep, attended by a technologist) to report the polysomnography study. Code 93152 features a parenthetical note instructing you to assign the correct polysomnography code. Since the procedure was attended by a technician and the provider captured sleep staging with three additional sleep parameters, 95808 is the correct code choice.

Important: According to the CPT^® guidelines, you’ll report 93152 only once, “regardless of how many programming changes are made over the course of the polysomnogram.”