Summary & Overview
CPT 92558: Newborn/Infant Otoacoustic Emissions Hearing Screen
CPT code 92558 denotes transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) testing — an objective hearing-screening procedure that delivers low-intensity sounds into the ear and measures reflected sound to detect cochlear dysfunction. It is widely used for newborn and infant screening because it requires no behavioral cooperation and can rapidly identify infants at risk for hearing loss, supporting early intervention and developmental follow-up. Nationally, this code is central to newborn hearing screening programs and pediatric audiology services.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will gain a concise clinical and billing overview of CPT code 92558, understand typical sites of service and clinical context, and find guidance on what benchmark and policy topics to review for payer coverage, reimbursement practice, and coding compliance. The publication outlines common service delivery settings (nursery, NICU, outpatient audiology), explains why the test matters for early detection, and flags areas where policy updates or payer-specific coverage rules commonly appear. Data not provided in the input (such as specific payer rates, ICD-10 pairings, and taxonomy mappings) is noted as not available.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 92558 is for transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) testing, a screening procedure in which low-intensity sounds are delivered into the ear and the resulting echoes (reflected sounds) are measured to assess cochlear (outer hair cell) function. This test is used most commonly for newborns and young children who cannot cooperate with behavioral hearing tests, providing an objective measurement of peripheral auditory function.
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Service type: Objective neonatal/infant auditory screening using otoacoustic emissions
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Typical site of service: Newborn nurseries, neonatal intensive care units (NICU), pediatric clinics, audiology or ENT outpatient settings where infant hearing screening is performed
Data not available in the input for payers, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A newborn delivered at 38 weeks gestation in the well-baby nursery receives a standard hearing screen prior to discharge. The infant is asleep and cannot reliably perform behavioral audiometry. A pediatric audiologist or trained newborn hearing-screening technician performs otoacoustic emissions testing using a probe in the external ear canal to present low-intensity sounds and measure the ear’s reflected (emitted) responses. Results are documented as "pass" or "refer." If the infant refers, a repeat screening is scheduled before hospital discharge or an outpatient diagnostic audiology appointment is arranged. Typical workflow includes verifying patient ID and risk factors, performing ear canal inspection, selecting appropriate probe tip, performing 92558 testing on one or both ears, documenting results, and communicating next steps to the newborn’s pediatric provider and family. Common sites of service are the newborn nursery, neonatal intensive care unit (for at-risk neonates), outpatient pediatric audiology clinic, and birthing center outpatient screening programs. The typical patient is a neonate or infant who cannot cooperate with behavioral hearing tests and requires objective physiological screening for sensorineural or conductive hearing loss.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
23 | Unusual anesthesia | Use if unexpected general anesthesia is required for the newborn to complete testing (rare) |