Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Know CPT's assay/stain distinction to pick the right code.The adage to "always report the most specific CPT code" could ambush your estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) coding for breast cases. Let our experts help you sort out the difference between specific analyte and specific method to make sure you choose the right code -- every time.1. Reserve 84233 and 84234 for AssaysIf you're looking for specific codes when a surgical pathology report references estrogen and/or progesterone receptor testing, you can't miss 84233 (Receptor assay; estrogen) and 84234 (... progesterone). But are those always the right choice?"The 84233 and 84234 definitions create a dilemma for coders reporting ER/PR tests," asserts Dennis Padget, MBA, CPA, FHFMA, president of DLPadget Enterprises Inc. and publisher of the Pathology Service Coding Handbook, in The Villages, Fla. "The question is whether you must report 84233/84234 because the definitions specify ER/PR, or if you can instead [...]