Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: We’re getting denials when we bill a blood glucose test with 82962. The payer says that the test isn’t payable under contractual agreement. Is this the correct code?

Codify Subscriber

Answer: The code you mentioned is for a glucose home monitoring device (82962, Glucose, blood by glucose monitoring device[s] cleared by the FDA specifically for home use). 

Although many payers, such as Medicare, cover this device, it probably does not accurately describe the test you’re performing in your lab. You need to assign the CPT® code that best describes the test your lab performs. Look at the following codes and see if one of these is a better choice to represent your lab’s work:

• 82945 — Glucose, body fluid, other than blood
• 82947 — Glucose; quantitative, blood (except reagent strip)
• 82948 — … blood, reagent strip.

Pointer: CPT® provides even more glucose test codes to describe a glucose test that follows administration of oral glucose, or a glucose tolerance test. Assuming that your lab isn’t performing one of those specialized tests, your best choice to code the glucose test is probably 82945, 82947, or 82948.