Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: A blood transfusion patient showed two allo-antibodies: anti-C and anti-Jka. Our lab used reagent serum to screen 10 type-specific blood units for red cells that do not have the C antigen. After identifying three compatible units for anti-C, we screened those three for red cells that do not have the Jka antigen. How should we code this?

Ohio Subscriber

Answer: You should report this service as 13 units of 86902 (Blood typing; antigen testing of donor blood using reagent serum, each antigen test).

CPT 2011 deletes 86903 (Blood typing; antigen screening for compatible blood unit using reagent serum, per unit screened) and instructs coders to report 86902 in its place.

Code per antigen, per unit: A CPT 2011 instructional note tells you to report 86902 "once for each antigen for each unit tested." Your scenario involves testing 10 units for the C antigen -- that justifies reporting 86902 x 10.

The lab then tests those three units for the Jka antigen, and that justifies reporting an additional three units of 86902.

Bottom line: You should report your lab's donor blood serum antigen testing in this case as 86902 x 13.