Three New Combined Audiology Codes Go into Effect on January 2010

Audiologists will be reporting three new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes starting January 1, 2010. The codes describe well known procedures that are usually billed in combination with one another. The new codes are:

• "92540—Basic vestibular evaluation, includes spontaneous nystagmus test with eccentric gaze fixation nystagmus, with recording, positional nystagmus test, minimum of 4 positions, with recording, optokinetic nystagmus test, bidirectional foveal and peripheral stimulation, with recording, and oscillating tracking test, with recording. (Do not report 92540 in conjunction with 92541, 92542, 93544, or 92545)"
  
  
• "92550—Tympanometry and reflex threshold measurements. (Do not report 92550 in conjunction with 92567, 92568)"
  
  
• "92570—Acoustic immittance testing, includes tympanometry (impedance testing), acoustic reflex threshold testing, and acoustic reflex decay testing. (Do not report 92570 in conjunction with 92567, 92568)"

ASHA collaborated with the American Academy of Audiology and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in the development of the combined procedures. The new codes are the result of a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) request that the American Medical Association (AMA) CPT Editorial Panel and the AMA Specialty Society Relative Value Scale (RVS) Update Committee (RUC) establish bundled codes and recommend relative values for the new procedures. The relative values will be available upon release of the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. For further information or questions regarding the three new audiology codes, please contact reimbursement@asha.org.

Taken from www.asha.org/News/Advocacy.