AMA CPT® Assistant - 2015 Issue 3 (March)
Coding Update: Neuromuscular Testing - Needle Electromyography Changes for 2015 (March 2015)
March 2015 page 6 Coding Update: Neuromuscular Testing - Needle Electromyography Changes for 2015 In the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) 2015 code set, guideline revisions were made to the needle electromyography (EMG) codes with the addition of instructional notes to support these changes. Codes 95860-95887 include the interpretation of electrical waveforms measured by equipment, which produces both visible and audible components of electrical signals recorded from the muscle(s) studied by the needle electrode. Revised Guidelines The electromyography guidelines were revised to indicate that EMG for nonextremity muscles is reported only once per anatomic site (code 95887). The guidelines...
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Article Overview
This article explains a CPT 2015 coding update focused on needle electromyography within neuromuscular testing. It is relevant to clinicians and coding professionals who report EMG and related nerve conduction studies, because it summarizes revised guideline language, added instructional notes, and a clinical example illustrating the updated reporting context. The article helps readers understand the scope of the changes without replacing the full coding guidance.
Why This Topic Matters
Accurate reporting of neuromuscular testing depends on current CPT guidance, especially when instructional notes and revised guidelines affect how procedures are documented and billed. This update is important for avoiding reporting errors and for understanding how EMG services are organized within the 2015 code set.
Article Sections
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March 2015 page 6
Publication metadata identifying the issue and page location of the coding update.
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Revised Guidelines
A summary of the updated CPT guidance for needle electromyography reporting and related anatomic-site considerations.
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Addition of Instructional Parenthetical Notes
Discussion of the added notes intended to support selection of the appropriate neuromuscular testing codes.
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Clinical Example (95887 and 95908)
A scenario illustrating neuromuscular testing in a facial weakness workup, paired with the associated procedure reporting context.
What You Will Learn
- What changed in the CPT 2015 guidance for needle electromyography
- How the article frames reporting for neuromuscular testing by anatomic site
- Why instructional notes were added to support code selection
- How the article uses a clinical scenario to illustrate the coding update
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Neurology practices
- Electrodiagnostic testing providers
- Billing and reimbursement staff
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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