Add-on code for a limited needle EMG of one extremity performed on the same day as nerve conduction studies, reported once per limb.
- Medicare
- $64.46
- Work RVU
- 0.34
- Global, days
- Region
- General
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓
- Primary NCS code on the same claim with the study count documented
- Limb tested
- Muscles sampled, showing a limited study
- Needle findings for each muscle
- Combined interpretation of NCS and EMG
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 ↓
95885 is the add-on for a limited needle EMG of one limb when nerve conduction studies are billed the same day. It is the code most carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel workups land on: a full set of median and ulnar conductions plus a handful of muscles in the symptomatic arm.
It only goes on the claim with a primary NCS code from 95907 to 95913. Report one unit per extremity. For a limb that gets a complete exam, use 95886 instead. Only one of the two goes on any given limb, so the combined total tops out at four.
The usual mistakes are billing 95860 with the NCS code, which NCCI blocks, and billing 95885 for a limb where the muscle count actually supports 95886. Undercoding is a revenue leak that rarely gets caught.
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 (0.34) is the surgeon's own effort — the figure physician pay and productivity targets are built on. The total RVU (1.93) adds practice overhead and malpractice, and is what drives the Medicare payment below.
| Work RVU | 0.34 |
| Practice expense RVU | 1.58 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0.01 |
| Total RVU | 1.93 |
| Medicare national rate | $64.46 |
| 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
| Setting | Medicare rate (national) |
|---|---|
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office | $64.46 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 95885 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- No primary NCS code on the claim
- More than one unit per extremity
- 95885 and 95886 both billed for the same limb
- Billed alongside 95860 to 95870 for the same limb
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01What is the difference between 95885 and 95886?
02Can 95885 be billed without a nerve conduction study?
03How many units of 95885 can I bill?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
Mira Scribe
Mira Scribe captures the symptoms and exam findings for each limb at the referral visit, giving the EMG report a clean link between the question asked and the muscles tested.
See how Mira captures CPT 95885 documentation