The AMA CPT Editorial Panel recently passed two actions of
interest to psychiatrists. At APA's request, the Editorial Panel deleted CPT
code 90871 (ECT, multiple seizure). All visits for ECT should now be coded
with 90870.
The panel also approved wording relating to the use of vagus nerve
stimulation (VNS) for the care of patients with treatment-resistant depression
(TRD). VNS therapy, which was originally approved only for the treatment of
epilepsy, has recently received FDA approval as a treatment for TRD.
Psychiatrists performing this type of therapy are directed to use the
appropriate codes found in the neurology subsection of the CPT
manual's medicine section. These codes are for the analysis and programming of
the neurostimulators used for VNS therapy and include CPT codes 95970, 95974,
and 95975.