Summary & Overview
CPT 94760: Single Measurement of Oxygen Saturation (Finger or Ear)
CPT code 94760 denotes a single, spot measurement of peripheral oxygen saturation using a sensor on the finger or ear. The code captures a brief physiologic assessment commonly used across care settings to document a patient’s oxygenation status at a single point in time. Nationally, this low-intensity diagnostic measure is widely used in emergency departments, outpatient clinics, inpatient floors, and procedural monitoring, and it supports clinical decision-making for supplemental oxygen, further testing, or escalation of care. Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare.
Readers will find a concise overview of the code’s clinical role and common sites of service, plus practical benchmarking and reimbursement context where available. The publication summarizes typical utilization patterns, payer coverage considerations, and coding guidance relevant to billing and claims review. It also highlights policy and documentation areas that commonly affect payment and audit outcomes. Data not available in the input will be noted explicitly where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 94760 represents a single, point-in-time measurement of a patient’s oxygen saturation using a sensor applied to the finger or ear. This service is a diagnostic physiologic measurement used to assess peripheral oxygenation at the bedside or during a clinical encounter.
Service type: Single measurement of oxygen saturation (spot check)
Typical site of service: Outpatient clinic, emergency department, inpatient bedside, or other clinical settings where a pulse oximeter sensor can be applied to the finger or ear
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Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult presenting to an emergency department, urgent care, or outpatient clinic with shortness of breath, chest pain, syncope, altered mental status, or suspected hypoxemia. The clinician places a pulse oximeter sensor on the finger or earlobe and records a single spot oxygen saturation measurement (SpO2) and pulse rate. This single-measure procedure is performed as part of initial triage, rapid assessment before/after procedures (e.g., nebulized bronchodilator), monitoring during ambulatory oxygen evaluation, or pre-oxygenation checks prior to procedural sedation. Documentation includes the time of measurement, site of sensor (finger or ear), measured SpO2 value, pulse rate, patient condition during measurement, and any immediate clinical action based on the result (for example, supplemental oxygen delivered). The encounter may be billed alone when the single measurement is ordered and documented, and not included as part of a larger continuous monitoring service.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management (E/M) service by the same physician on the same day | When a separately reportable E/M visit is performed and documented in addition to the single SpO2 measurement |
26 |