Wiki HELP!! 64999-pain stimulator

[mzblackmon12@gmail.com]

HELP!! I have a Neuro surgeon that has been doing a P-Stim procedure and was told by the salesman to use 64553 & L8680 for electrodes...after reviewing OP notes, this is not what was done. Nothing was done Percutaneously...what they are doing is almost like acupuncture with a Pen type instrument, not implanting anything in the pt... I have suggested using the unlisted code 64999....does anyone know anything about this type of procedure and what codes you used??

 

[capricew]

you are absolutely correct! 64999 is the only correct code. If you look under the Anesthesiology thread you will see more comments of the same regarding the P-stim.
do not buy into what the salesmen are telling you to code. It is nowhere near correct.
You can also look at marvel hammers comments on the p-stim. She is very knowledgable with pain management and has commented on this topic many times.

here is one of her comments in a previous post-
"Be wary of medical device rep's recommendations for codes. They are in sales and sometimes need to provide potentially incorrect information to close the deal. It is much more difficult to make the sale if providing information that an unlisted code should be billed!

The P-Stim device is NOT a percutaneous placed peripheral nerve neurostimulator. It is NOT compliant to report 64555, L8680 and/or 95870 for the placement of this device.

Here is a link to the website so you can see a picture and description of the device:
http://www.biegler.com/pstim.en.html

It is instead a form of auriculotherapy. Per a non-published AMA CPT response, code 64999 should be reported. There is a new HCPCS code that maybe considered -
S8930 Electrical stimulation of auricular acupuncture points; each 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient"

good luck! hopefully your physician hasn't purchased a bunch of them already.