Medicare Benefits Schedule - Item 12258

Maintenance of wakefulness test for the assessment of the ability to maintain wakefulness in a patient aged 18 years or more, if:

(a) a qualified adult sleep medicine practitioner or neurologist determines that testing is necessary to objectively confirm the ability to maintain wakefulness; and

(b) an overnight diagnostic assessment of sleep is performed for at least 8 hours, with continuous monitoring and recording, in accordance with current professional guidelines, of the following measures:

(i) airflow;

(ii) continuous EMG;                                   

(iii) anterior tibial EMG;

(iv) continuous ECG;

(v) continuous EEG;

(vi) EOG;

(vii) oxygen saturation;

(viii) respiratory movement (chest and abdomen);

(ix) position; and

(c) immediately following the overnight investigation, a daytime investigation is performed where at least 4 wakefulness trials are conducted, during which there is continuous recording of EEG, EMG, EOG and ECG; and

(d) a sleep technician is in continuous attendance under the supervision of a qualified adult sleep medicine practitioner; and

(e) polygraphic records are:

(i) analysed (for assessment of sleep stage, arousals, respiratory events, cardiac abnormalities and limb movements) with manual scoring, or manual correction of computerised scoring in epochs of not more than 1 minute; and

(ii) stored for interpretation and preparation of a report; and

(f) interpretation and preparation of a permanent report is provided by a qualified adult sleep medicine practitioner with personal direct review of raw data from the original recording of polygraphic data from the patient; and

(g) the diagnostic assessment is not provided to the patient on the same occasion that a service described in item 11003, 12203, 12204, 12205, 12208, 12250 or 12254 is provided to the patient

Applicable only once in a 12 month period

Fee: $1,005.65 Benefit: 75% = $754.25 85% = $906.95

(See para DN.1.23 of explanatory notes to this Category)

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Determination of the need for testing and testing procedures should be performed in accordance with current Australasian Sleep Association guidelines. Not to be used as part of an occupational health service or pre-employment assessment.

The date of service for the purposes of items 12254 to 12272 is deemed to be the day on which the daytime investigation component of the test is completed. Billing for the service must only occur once all of the requirements of the item have been fulfilled.

Related Items: 12254 12258 12261 12265 12268 12272