Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: Our lab performs a multi-step enzyme immunoassay test for influenza A or B antigens, and the result is either positive or negative. Could you please help me decide what code to use?

Codify Subscriber

Answer: CPT^® provides many codes for influenza testing, but the one that best describes a qualitative enzyme immunoassay test for influenza antigens is 87400 (Infectious agent antigen detection by immunoassay technique, (eg, enzyme immunoassay [EIA], enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA], immunochemiluminometric assay [IMCA]) qualitative or semiquantitative, multiple-step method; Influenza, A or B, each).

Typically, you can report two units of 87400 if the test looks for antigens to influenza A and B. However, you describe a test that gives one result - positive or negative. Because the test result does not allow you to distinguish between influenza A infection or influenza B infection, you should not bill two units of this test.