Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: Our physician-office lab performs glucose tests using a "home use" portable monitoring device that pricks the finger, collects the blood, and provides an automatic readout. Because the 82962 code definition says the test is for home use, should we use a different code to bill for the test, such as 82948?

Arkansas Subscriber

Answer: You must use the code that most closely describes the test you perform -- which sounds like 82962 (Glucose, blood by glucose monitoring device[s] cleared by the FDA specifically for home use). You can report the code for use in a physicianoffice lab; the definition doesn't limit you to home use for the test.

You shouldn't report 82948 (Glucose; blood, reagent strip) because the code describes a different test methodology.