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CPT 95958: Wada Activation Test with EEG Monitoring
CPT code 95958 represents the Wada activation test, a preoperative neurodiagnostic procedure that uses temporary cerebral anesthesia and electroencephalographic monitoring to evaluate hemispheric language and memory dominance prior to ablative epilepsy surgery or select tumor resections. This test informs surgical planning by identifying functional localization that affects risks of postoperative cognitive deficits. Nationally, the code matters because it supports clinically necessary assessments for complex neurosurgical cases that impact patient selection and surgical approach.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context, expected site-of-service settings, and the types of benchmarks and policy issues typically associated with high-complexity neurodiagnostic services. The publication highlights reimbursement benchmarks and coverage considerations, coding guidance for clinical documentation, and policy developments that affect preoperative neurodiagnostic testing utilization. It also outlines what clinical teams and billing staff should expect when this service is reported in relation to neurosurgical care pathways.
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 pairings, and related billing codes is noted where relevant elsewhere in the publication.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 95958 describes the Wada activation test performed prior to ablative surgery for epilepsy and sometimes before tumor resection. The procedure includes electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring while a cerebral hemisphere is temporarily anesthetized to assess language and memory lateralization.
Service type: Neurological diagnostic procedure with intraoperative EEG monitoring
Typical site of service: Hospital inpatient or outpatient surgical setting, or ambulatory surgical center, where preoperative neurodiagnostic testing and EEG monitoring can be performed.