Question: A physician orders blood electrolytes potassium, sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, and phosphate for a patient. Should we code one of the panels that includes many of these elements for performing the test?
Answer: No, you should not report one of the organ and disease-oriented panel codes from 80047-80076 for performing these tests. None of the CPT® listed panels contain the precise blood tests requested by the physician in your case. For instance, 80051 (Electrolyte panel; This panel must include the following: Carbon dioxide [bicarbonate] [82374]; Chloride [82435]; Potassium [84132]; Sodium [84295]) includes chloride, potassium, and sodium, but it also includes carbon dioxide, which the physician didn’t order.
Regarding the panels, CPT® states, “These panels were developed for coding purposes only and should not be interpreted as clinical parameters.” If the ordering physician requests a group of tests not identified by a panel code, based on the patient’s specific clinical condition, you should code each ordered test.
For this case, use the following codes:
· 84132, Potassium; serum, plasma or whole blood
· 84295, Sodium; serum, plasma or whole blood
· 82310, Calcium; total
· 82435, Chloride; blood
· 83735, Magnesium
· 84100, Phosphorus inorganic (phosphate).
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