# 87101 for in-office fungal culture?



## sknewhouse (Jun 22, 2017)

Hello, quick question about CPT 87101.  Recently, one of our doctors has begun doing fungal cultures in the office rather than sending them to an outside lab.  We collect the specimen, grow it in our lab, and then the doctor reads the slides under the microscope and treats the patient accordingly.  Is 87101 appropriate for this or is it included in the E/M?

If 87101 is appropriate, do I bill it on the date of collection or on the date that the slides are read?  I assume if we are billing it, the doctor will need to issue a report -- is that correct?

Thanks!


----------



## CodingKing (Jun 23, 2017)

Are you CLIA certified? If not you cannot bill it. For labs you will want to use the date of the specimen collection.


----------



## sknewhouse (Jun 23, 2017)

Yes, we are CLIA certified.


----------

