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Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

YOU BE THE CODER ~ Choose Most Specific Blood-Test Code

Published on Fri Feb 09, 2007

Question: How should we report a blood test for Interleukin 6? I can't find it listed anywhere in CPT.

California Subscriber Answer: The correct code for an Interleukin 6 assay from blood or other sources is 82397 (Chemiluminescent assay).
 
You are correct that you cannot find Interleukin 6 in CPT because there is no specific code for this assay. Whenever you have a lab test for an analyte not listed in CPT, you have to select the proper code based on the lab method used. In this case, Interleukin 6 is evaluated using a chemiluminescent assay.

Conversely, regardless of the lab method, you should use an analyte-specific code, when available, rather than a less-specific method code.

For instance: For lipoprotein analysis using electrophoresis, you should report 83700 (Lipoprotein, blood; electrophoretic separation and quantitation), not the more general method code 82664 (Electrophoretic technique, not elsewhere specified).
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