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Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Surgical Pathology Specimens

Published on Wed Mar 01, 2000

Question: How should I code surgical pathology specimens that did not survive processing, or that require recutting?

K. Laukahandra, MD,
Truman Medical CenterWest, Kansas City, Mo.

Answer: If the specimen does not survive processing, then the CPT code should be changed to reflect a gross only specimen (88300, surgical pathology, gross examination only).

In response to the second part of your question, there is no CPT code for recuts. Whatever work is involved in slide preparation and examination is included in the level of the surgical pathology code reported for the specimen. Recuts cannot be reported separately to capture the extra work involved. The only exception would be recuts for tissue submitted to the lab from another source for consultation. In that case, the correct CPT code would be 88323 (consultation and report on referred material requiring preparation of slides).
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