CPT 2009 Rev Up Your Molecular Diagnostics Coding With These Tips
Published on Wed Jan 23, 2008
Use new -unit of service- definitions to capture every dollar. When you-re billing for molecular diagnostics studies that involve steps to extract, isolate, and otherwise manipulate nucleic acids, you need to know about CPT 2009 code changes to keep your claims clean. Follow our experts- advice to learn when you can -- and can't -- code for multiple nucleic acid manipulations as part of a single molecular diagnostics assay. Add Up Steps for Molecular Diagnostics Study When labs perform molecular diagnostics techniques to analyze nucleic acids, you should use 83890-83914 to report the service. "Each code describes a separate technique, such as nucleic acid extraction or gene amplification, and you should report each step using the appropriate code," explains Elizabeth Sheppard, HT(ASCP), senior manager of technical marketing for Ventana Medical Systems in Tucson, Ariz. CPT 2009 revises eight codes in this molecular diagnostics code range. Physicians order molecular diagnostic testing to diagnose and direct treatment relating to infectious agents and disease markers, inherited disorders, and oncology. Memorize These Units of Service You-ve had codes for nucleic acid extraction, separation, and transfer for years, but CPT 2009 revises the definitions for clarity. "The intent of the code changes is to remove ambiguity regarding when you can report multiple units of the same code for a single molecular diagnostics study," says Diana Voorhees, MA, CLS, MT (ASCP) SH, CLCP, principal with DV and Associates Inc. in Salt Lake City. CPT removes that ambiguity by defining the unit of service for eight molecular diagnostics codes. Note the changes: The unit of service is "nucleic acid type" for the following codes (new 2009 text underlined): - 83890 -- Molecular diagnostics; molecular isolation or extraction, each nucleic acid type (i.e., DNA or RNA) - 83891 -- - isolation or extraction of highly purified nucleic acid, each nucleic acid type (i.e., DNA or RNA) The unit of service for certain other codes is "nucleic acid preparation" (new 2009 text underlined): - 83893 -- - dot/slot blot production, each nucleic acid preparation - 83894 -- - separation by gel electrophoresis (e.g. agarose, polyacrylamide), each nucleic acid preparation - 83897 -- - nucleic acid transfer (e.g., Southern, Northern , each nucleic acid preparation - 83909 -- - separation and identification by high resolution technique (e.g., capillary electrophoresis), each nucleic acid preparation. CPT 2009 also makes these two additional molecular diagnostics changes to clarify the unit of service: - 83892 -- - enzymatic digestion, each enzyme treatment - 83907 -- - lysis of cells prior to nucleic acid extraction (e.g., stool specimens, paraffin embedded tissue), each specimen. Change Your Coding -- Or Not These changes won't necessarily alter how you code. Whether you need to make a change depends [...]
