How Much Does EMG Test Cost

An EMG is the acronym for Electromyography. It’s a diagnostic procedure that is requested by your physician in order to find out what is wrong with your muscle condition as well as your nerves. This test will determine the reasons why there are some disorders or weakness in your muscles. The procedure is quick and most of the time tolerable, even if there will be electrodes placed on the area being tested. So now, the question goes, how much does EMG test cost? Find out as you read on through the article, but first off let’s discuss the procedure.

Further on the Procedure

An EMG testing usually last for about 30 to 90 minutes. The test has two parts. The first part is the Nerve Conduction Study or the NCS. For this portion, electrodes are being taped to the skin in order to stimulate the nerve and take note of the nerve response. A needle exam will then follow. These needles are thinner than the one that the nurses would use to draw blood. It has a microscopic electrodes that picks up electrical signals from the muscles. Although tolerable, after an EMG test, the muscles in the area will experience soreness for about two day, but some patients will not feel any side effects at all.

For the cost of EMG test, patients with insurance plans are covered for the charge of the test. The usual co-pay would be around, $10 – $50 dollars for the the coinsurance of 10% – 50% dollars. Some hospital and diagnostic centers offers 30% – 45% percent discounts to the uninsured, cash paying patients. If after the EMG testing bill arrived, and the patient is able to pay it within 10 days, he could be offered a discount of 10% percent. In some states, patients that are low-income may not have to worry about the nerve conduction study price, because it is the federal government’s program to offer it for free if not a low cost service.

As per your physician’s request, the common complaints for test that is needed in an EMG exam are the following: myopathy, muscular dystrophy, neuropathy, nerve injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, motor neuron disease, and cervical or lumbar radiculopathy. Even though an EMG test is tolerable, certain discomforts will definitely be felt as the needles are inserted into your skin. If you feel pain, you can always ask the doctor to stop. These needles by the way are sterile, and every time a test gets finished the needle is discarded right away. Each patient are poked with a new sterile needle every time a test is being conducted.

Price Range of Cost

The answer to how much does EMG test cost, Is $150 – $500 dollars per extremity for uninsured patients, and the nerve conduction study price is dependent on the provider of the health care.

After the test, a follow up visit will still be required of the patient by his or her physician. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey has noted that the average cost for a visit to the doctors by the patient is $199 dollars. This is just for consultation and visit, it does not including the cost of EMG test. Sometimes these visits are not only just for one time, but for several times depending on the case of the patient’s health.

According to Nervecare.com, ‘how much does EMG test cost.’ depends on the symptoms of the nerve involvement in a patient. Some of these symptoms include the burning sensation in the hands and feet, and the tingling sensation and numbness in the same area. Beside these two, another reason for an EMG test request are the weakness and decreased sensation in the arms and the legs of the patient. These are the inclusion of the nerve conduction study price.

The Preparation

There is not much preparation when taking an EMG test. Once you have done the most important things such as knowing and negotiating how you will pay for the nerve conduction study price, you can be ready to take the test as scheduled. Perhaps, what the medical technician will require of you is that you just have to shower first in order to remove oil from your skin, and never to use oil or lotion on your skin before going to the examination room. This is so that when conducting the exam, the apparatus used will be able to detect muscle response easily, and they will get accurate results. You can wear loose clothing to the testing area or you will be required to wear a lab gown by the doctor.

Unlike any other test, fasting is not needed before taking an EMG exam, so you can eat before going. Also, just for precautionary measures, you will need to provide your physician a list of your medications, especially if you are taking medicines that involves in thinning (aspirin) or thickening the blood. This EMG test is an outpatient procedure. For those patients who are uneasy especially children, sedation may be given them in order to have the test taken.

Conclusion

Certain variables need to be taken into consideration with regards to the cost of EMG test. This test is valuable so its result needs to be accurate for about 90% – 95% percent of the time, with a false reading of results of about 5% – 8% percent only. Certain variable also affects the results that are being read during the exam. These includes the training of the technician and his or her experience in EMG testing, and if the technician knows what he or she is doing. Also on the part of the patient, he has to make sure his skin temperature is normal. If he’s feeling cold then it would be nice if he could warm up as bit, otherwise the test result for EMG will not be accurate if the patient is cold. Inaccurate results will have to be repeated and no one wants to pay for a new nerve conduction study price.