Surgical · General

95905

Nerve conduction testing using preconfigured electrode arrays, motor and/or sensory, including F-waves when done, reported per limb.

3 sources ↓

Medicare
$33.40
Work RVU
0.05
Global, days
Region
General
Drawn from CMS

Documentation requirements

What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓

  • Clinical indication for testing
  • Limbs tested
  • Device output with nerve results
  • Physician review and interpretation
  • Plan based on the findings

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 3 cited references ↓

95905 describes automated or point-of-care nerve conduction testing, where a preconfigured electrode array does the work and the device generates the results. Some ortho and primary care offices have used these devices for carpal tunnel screening.

Coverage is the problem. Many Medicare contractors and commercial payers consider this testing not medically necessary, or limit it sharply, because it does not include a physician-directed study or needle exam. Before an office buys a device, check the local coverage determination and major commercial policies.

The code is reported per limb studied. It cannot be billed with the standard NCS codes 95907 to 95913 for the same session. If the patient later needs a formal EMG/NCS, that study is billed separately by the lab, and payers may question why both were done.

RVU & reimbursement

Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU vs. total RVU

The work RVU (0.05) is the surgeon's own effort — the figure physician pay and productivity targets are built on. The total RVU (1) adds practice overhead and malpractice, and is what drives the Medicare payment below.

Work RVU 0.05
Practice expense RVU 0.93
Malpractice RVU 0.02
Total RVU 1
Medicare national rate $33.40
Global period days

Payment by site of service

Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.

Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026

SettingMedicare rate (national)
Office (PFS non-facility)
Procedure performed in physician's office
$33.40
HOPD (APC 5735)
Hospital outpatient department
$456.40

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 95905 get rejected.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓

  • Payer policy lists the service as not medically necessary
  • Billed with 95907 to 95913 on the same date
  • Used as a screening test without symptoms documented
  • Units exceed limbs tested

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓

01Does Medicare cover 95905?
Coverage varies by contractor, and many consider it not reasonable and necessary. Check your local coverage determination.
02Can 95905 be billed with 95907?
No. Automated array testing and standard NCS are not reported together for the same session.
03Is 95905 billed per limb?
Yes, one unit per limb tested.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.

  1. 01CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2026
  2. 02
    cms.gov
    https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/search.aspx
  3. 03
    cms.gov
    https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/national-correct-coding-initiative-ncci-edits

Mira Scribe

Mira Scribe records the symptoms and provocative test results from the exam, so any nerve testing order is backed by clinical findings.

See how Mira captures CPT 95905 documentation

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