How To Use CPT Code 92587
CPT 92587 is a code used for distortion product evoked otoacoustic emissions or transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, with interpretation and report. This article will cover the description, procedure, qualifying circumstances, when to use the code, documentation requirements, billing guidelines, historical information, similar codes, and examples of CPT 92587 procedures.
1. What is CPT 92587?
CPT 92587 is a medical billing code used for specific hearing tests, namely distortion product evoked otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE). These tests are noninvasive and are primarily used to screen for hearing disorders in newborns and young children. The code also includes the interpretation of the test results and the preparation of a report by a qualified healthcare provider.
2. 92587 CPT code description
The official description of CPT code 92587 is: “Distortion product evoked otoacoustic emissions; limited evaluation (to confirm the presence or absence of hearing disorder, 3-6 frequencies) or transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, with interpretation and report.”
3. Procedure
- The healthcare provider places an ear probe tip into the patient’s ear canal.
- For DPOAE, the probe emits pairs of tones at specific frequencies, typically three to six frequency levels.
- For TEOAE, the probe emits broad frequency range clicks or brief bursts of pure tone.
- The sound passes through the tympanic membrane, the middle ear, and the inner ear.
- At the inner ear, the sound is picked up by the hair cells of the cochlea.
- The computer records the echo off the cochlea hair cells.
- When the test is complete, the provider interprets the findings and prepares a report.
4. Qualifying circumstances
Patients eligible to receive CPT code 92587 services are primarily newborns and young children who require hearing screening. The tests must be administered by an audiologist or another qualified healthcare provider. It is inappropriate to report this code if the tests are performed by a computer instead of a healthcare professional.
5. When to use CPT code 92587
CPT code 92587 should be used when a healthcare provider performs a DPOAE or TEOAE test to assess the presence or absence of a hearing disorder in a patient, primarily newborns and young children. The code should only be used when the test is administered by a qualified healthcare professional and not by a computer.
6. Documentation requirements
To support a claim for CPT 92587, the following information should be documented:
- Patient’s demographic information, including age and gender
- Medical history and any relevant risk factors for hearing disorders
- Indication for the test (e.g., newborn hearing screening, follow-up for abnormal hearing screening, etc.)
- Specific test performed (DPOAE or TEOAE)
- Test results, including the frequencies tested and the responses recorded
- Interpretation of the test results by the healthcare provider
- Prepared report with the findings and any recommendations for further evaluation or intervention
7. Billing guidelines
When billing for CPT code 92587, ensure that the tests meet the criterion of being administered by an audiologist or another qualified healthcare provider. Reporting this code for computer-administered tests is inappropriate and may result in overcompensation for non-performed work. It is essential to follow proper documentation requirements and include all necessary information to support the claim.
8. Historical information
CPT 92587 was added to the Current Procedural Terminology system on January 1, 1995. The code was changed on January 1, 2012, with the previous descriptor being “Evoked otoacoustic emissions; limited (single stimulus level, either transient or distortion products).”
9. Similar codes to CPT 92587
Five similar codes to CPT 92587 and how they differentiate are:
- CPT 92550: This code is used for tympanometry and reflex threshold measurements, which assess middle ear function.
- CPT 92558: This code is for evoked otoacoustic emissions screening, without interpretation and report.
- CPT 92567: This code is for tympanometry, which measures the movement of the tympanic membrane in response to changes in air pressure.
- CPT 92568: This code is for acoustic reflex testing, which evaluates the contraction of the middle ear muscles in response to loud sounds.
- CPT 92585: This code is for comprehensive audiological assessments, including pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and other tests.
10. Examples
Here are ten detailed examples of CPT code 92587 procedures:
- A newborn baby undergoes a TEOAE test as part of a routine hearing screening program.
- A 2-year-old child with a family history of hearing loss receives a DPOAE test to assess for potential hearing impairment.
- A 6-month-old infant who failed an initial hearing screening undergoes a TEOAE test for further evaluation.
- A 4-year-old child with speech delay receives a DPOAE test to rule out hearing loss as a contributing factor.
- A newborn with risk factors for hearing loss, such as prematurity or exposure to ototoxic medications, undergoes a TEOAE test.
- A 3-year-old child with recurrent ear infections receives a DPOAE test to assess for possible hearing impairment.
- A 1-year-old child with a history of failed hearing screenings undergoes a TEOAE test for further evaluation.
- A 5-year-old child with suspected hearing loss based on parent and teacher observations receives a DPOAE test.
- A newborn baby with a family history of congenital hearing loss undergoes a TEOAE test as part of a targeted hearing screening program.
- A 2-year-old child with a history of meningitis, a known risk factor for hearing loss, receives a DPOAE test to assess for potential hearing impairment.