You Be the Coder:
Specimen Transport
Published on Fri Jun 01, 2001
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the box below for the answer.
Question: I am confused as to how and when to use 99000. We do the blood draws in our office, but send the specimen out (a lab picks it up at no charge). We also have patients with suspected urinary tract infection who come in to leave a specimen, which we send to the lab. We do not charge for preparing these specimens for transport. Can we report 99000 for this service?
Maine Subscriber
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Answer: Handling and/or transporting a specimen to the laboratory can be reported with 99000 (handling and/or conveyance of specimen for transfer from the physicians office to laboratory). The code can be used whether a courier picks up the specimen, as you indicated, or the physician office delivers the specimen. This is according to a clarification published in CPT Assistant , October 1999.
Preparation of the specimen may include processes such as centrifugation, labeling and packaging, and completing laboratory and insurance forms related to the specimen. So you may report the code, but most insurers, including Medicare, do not pay for it. You may contact your third-party payers to see if they recognize 99000.
Answered by Laurie Castillo, MA, CPC, CPC-H, CCS-P, member of the National Advisory Board of the American Academy of Professional Coders.
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