Billing and Coding: Polysomnography and Other Sleep Studies

This article gives guidance for billing, coding, and other guidelines in
relation to local coverage policy L36902-Outpatient Psychiatry and Psychology
Services.



**General Guidelines for Claims submitted to Part A or Part B MAC:**

Procedure codes may be subject to National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI)
edits or OPPS packaging edits. Refer to NCCI and OPPS requirements prior to
billing Medicare. For services requiring a referring/ordering physician, the
name and NPI of the referring/ordering physician must be reported on the
claim. A claim submitted without a valid ICD-10-CM diagnosis code will be
returned to the provider as an incomplete claim under Section 1833(e) of the
Social Security Act. The diagnosis code(s) must best describe the patient's
condition for which the service was performed. For diagnostic tests, report
the result of the test if known; otherwise the symptoms prompting the
performance of the test should be reported.



**Advance Beneficiary Notice of Non-coverage (ABN) Modifier Guidelines**

An ABN may be used for services which are likely to be non-covered, whether
for medical necessity or for other reasons. Refer to CMS Publication 100-04,
Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 30, for complete instructions.

Effective from April 1, 2010, non-covered services should be billed with
modifier -GA, -GX, -GY, or -GZ, as appropriate.

The -GA modifier ("Waiver of Liability Statement Issued as Required by Payer
Policy") should be used when physicians, practitioners, or suppliers want to
indicate that they anticipate that Medicare will deny a specific service as
not reasonable and necessary and they do have an ABN signed by the beneficiary
on file. Modifier GA applies only when services will be denied under
reasonable and necessary provisions, sections 1862(a)(1), 1862(a)(9), 1879(e),
or 1879(g) of the Social Security Act. Effective April 1, 2010, Part A MAC
systems will automatically deny services billed with modifier GA. An ABN, Form
CMS-R-131, should be signed by the beneficiary to indicate that he/she accepts
responsibility for payment. The -GA modifier may also be used on assigned
claims when a patient refuses to sign the ABN and the latter is properly
witnessed. For claims submitted to the Part A MAC, occurrence code 32 and the
date of the ABN is required.



Modifier GX ("Notice of Liability Issued, Voluntary Under Payer Policy")
should be used when the beneficiary has signed an ABN, and a denial is
anticipated based on provisions other than medical necessity, such as
statutory exclusions of coverage or technical issues. An ABN is not required
for these denials, but if non-covered services are reported with modifier GX,
will automatically be denied services.



The -GZ modifier should be used when physicians, practitioners, or suppliers
want to indicate that they expect that Medicare will deny an item or service
as not reasonable and necessary and they have not had an ABN signed by the
beneficiary. If the service is statutorily non-covered, or without a benefit
category, submit the appropriate CPT/HCPCS code with the -GY modifier. An ABN
is not required for these denials, and the limitation of liability does not
apply for beneficiaries. Services with modifier GY will automatically deny.

**Documentation Requirements**

The patient's medical record should include but is not limited to:

  * The assessment of the patient by the ordering provider as it relates to the complaint of the patient for that visit,
  * Relevant medical history
  * Results of pertinent tests/procedures
  * Signed and dated office visit record/operative report (Please note that all services ordered or rendered to Medicare beneficiaries must be signed.)

Documentation must show that the polysomnography (95808, 95810 and 95811) was
performed in a facility based sleep study laboratory and not in the home or a
mobile facility.  
  
The sleep disorder clinic must have on file, in the patient's record,
documentation that narcolepsy symptoms are severe enough to interfere with the
patient's well-being and health.  
If more than two nights of testing are performed, documentation justifying the
medical necessity for the additional test(s) must be available in the
patient's medical record.  
  
Documentation must show that the home sleep test (HST) (G0398, G0399 and
G0400) were performed in conjunction with a comprehensive sleep evaluation and
in patients with a high pretest probability of moderate to severe obstructive
sleep apnea.  
  
The patient who undergoes a HST must receive, prior to the test, adequate
instruction on how to properly apply a portable sleep monitoring device. This
instruction must be provided by the provider conducting the HST.  
  
Documentation must show that the home sleep test was accomplished with a
Medicare-approved device (e.g., description of channels monitored or clear
indications of same included in the test report) and was performed by a
physician meeting the training requirements listed in the "Coverage
Indications, Limitations, and/or Medical Necessity Section".  
  
Parameters monitored and documented:

    * Start time and duration of day/night of study.



    * Total sleep time, sleep efficiency, number/duration of awakenings.



    * For tests involving sleep staging: time and percent time spent in each stage.



    * For tests monitoring sleep latency or maintenance of wakefulness testing:   
latency to both Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) and Rapid Eye Movement (REM)
sleep.



    * Individual sub-test sleep latencies, mean sleep latency and the number of REM occurrences on Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT).



    * Respiratory patterns including type (central/obstructive/periodic), number and duration, effect on oxygenation, sleep stage/body position relationship, and response to any diagnostic and/or therapeutic maneuvers.



    * Cardiac rate/rhythm and any effect of sleep-disordered breathing on EKG.



    * Detailed behavioral observations.



  * EEG or EMG abnormalities.

  
The patient is to be referred to the clinic by the attending physician. The
physician's order must be kept in the medical record.  
  
 **Utilization Guidelines**  
More than one HST per year interval would not be expected. If more than one
HST session is performed for suspected OSA, persuasive medical evidence
justifying the medical necessity for the additional tests will be required.
Similarly, more than two PSG per year interval would not be expected. If more
than two PSG sessions are performed for the diagnosis or adjustment of
treatment of sleep, pervasive medical evidence justifying the medical
necessity for the additional tests will be required upon request. When
services are performed in excess of established parameters, they may be
subject to review for medical necessity.  
  
The routine use of more than one PSG to titrate CPAP therapy would not be
considered reasonable and necessary. If more than one CPAP titration PSG is
claimed, persuasive medical evidence justifying the medical necessity for the
additional tests may be requested.  
  
95805 MSLT- includes all the naps done in a single day. Only one (1) unit of
service should be submitted.