Reader Question:
Non-Medicare Pap Smears
Published on Fri Mar 01, 2002
Question: How should I code Pap smears for non-Medicare patients?
New Jersey Subscriber
Answer: All carriers (except Medicare) consider collection of the Pap smear specimen part of the E/M exam. The reason Medicare covers Pap collections is based on old coverage rules, when Medicare did not pay for the visit at which the Pap was collected. When Medicare began covering some preventive/screening benefits, it continued to pay for the collection of the specimen.
Use 99000 (Handling and/or conveyance of specimen for transfer from the physicians office to a laboratory) for non-Medicare patients, keeping in mind that some carriers will reimburse and others will not.