CPT code 95885: Needle EMG, limited, with nerve conduction2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in New York
Reports a limited needle EMG of an extremity performed with nerve conduction testing to evaluate suspected peripheral nerve or muscle dysfunction.
Medicare pays $61.73–$75.45 for 95885 in the office in New York, from Rest of New York to NYC suburbs and Long Island, NY. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 95885 covers
This service involves a limited needle examination of muscles in an extremity performed alongside nerve conduction testing. Related paraspinal muscles may also be examined. Neurologists and physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians commonly use it when evaluating symptoms such as weakness, numbness, or suspected nerve-root or peripheral nerve dysfunction. The physician samples and interprets the electrical activity of selected muscles as part of the electrodiagnostic evaluation.
Report 95885 for each extremity receiving a limited needle examination with related nerve conduction testing; use 95886 when the extremity examination is complete. The record should identify the extremity examined, muscles sampled, findings, and associated nerve conduction testing. CMS treats 95885 as an add-on: submit it with a primary procedure, and payment falls within that procedure's global period. Each side is paid separately when testing is bilateral. Modifier 26 identifies interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and an unmodified claim represents the global service.
This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.
Where 95885 pays more and less in New York
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
5 payment localities
$61.73 to $75.45
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan, NY | $73.94 | Unavailable |
| NYC suburbs and Long Island, NY | $75.45 | Unavailable |
| Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NY | $70.06 | Unavailable |
| Queens, NY | $74.94 | Unavailable |
| Rest of New York | $61.73 | Unavailable |
How the 95885 rate is calculated
Each of 95885’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.
How the rate is built · 95885
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.34
0.34 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.58
1.58 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.9300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$64.46
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 95885
The CMS indicators that decide how 95885 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 95885
Needle EMG, limited, with nerve conduction
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 3 | Each side paid at 100% (no 150% cap). |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
95885 without 26 · national office
$64.46
Needle EMG, limited, with nerve conduction
95885-26 · Professional component
$18.37
Pays only the interpretation and report.
95885 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 95886Needle EMG add-onComplete study, each extremity
- Both cover extremity needle EMG performed with nerve conduction testing. Choose 95885 for a limited examination and 95886 for a complete examination.
- 95887Needle EMGNon-extremity, with nerve conduction
- 95887 applies to needle EMG of non-extremity muscles performed with nerve conduction testing; 95885 applies to an extremity examination.
- 95860Needle EMGOne extremity
- 95860 reports needle EMG of one extremity, while 95885 is the limited extremity service reported with nerve conduction testing.
- 95907Nerve conductionOne or two studies
- 95907 reports nerve conduction testing, not needle EMG. It may be the primary procedure with which 95885 is reported as an add-on.
95885 billing questions
When should 95885 be used instead of 95886?
Use 95885 for a limited needle examination of an extremity performed with nerve conduction testing. Use 95886 when the extremity examination is complete.
Can 95885 be billed without a nerve conduction procedure?
No. It is an add-on code and must be submitted with a primary procedure, typically the nerve conduction study performed in the same electrodiagnostic evaluation.
How should bilateral testing be reported?
Report the service for each tested side. CMS pays each side separately when performed bilaterally.
What documentation supports 95885?
Document the extremity and muscles examined, the needle EMG findings, and the related nerve conduction testing. The record should support that the needle examination was limited.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
How does 95885 differ from 95887?
95885 is for a limited needle examination of an extremity with nerve conduction testing. 95887 is for needle EMG of non-extremity muscles with nerve conduction testing.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.
CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027
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