Respiratory Question for the Week of July 2, 2018

Question:

We are looking for guidelines for billing an actigraphy test as well as the code. Can you help with that?

Answer:

The correct code for this test is 95803—actigraphy testing, recording, analysis, interpretation, and report (minimum of 72 hours to 14 consecutive days of recording). Actigraphy measures movement of a limb, which can be measured as part of a sleep test, but the procedure will not be paid for separately in addition to the sleep study. Accurate gathering of information regarding movement during expected sleep time requires recording data over an extended period as defined by the CPT^® code. Billing a reduced service is communicated to the payer by appending modifier 52.

CPT^® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.

This question was answered in the 2018 edition of our Coding Essentials for RT/Pulmonary Function. For more hot topics relating to respiratory therapy services, please view our store, or call us at 1.800.252.1578 ext. 2.