Wiki Combined stains 88312/88313

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Questions have been raised in our office about the correct way to code combine stains and whether there should be a difference between coding these for Medicare vs. non-Medicare.

I am referring to combined stains such as and Alcian Blue/PAS or Colloidal Iron/PAS. When the pathologist reports results on each stain, such as, "..the colloid iron portion demonstrates a mild increase in dermal mucin, and the PAS portion is negative for fungal mircroorganisms," I understand we can code 88312 and 88313 for non-Medicare, but can we code this way for Medicare as well? I can't find anything against that practice, but wondering if you all had any further information.
 
I found information in AAPC coder from the Path/Lab Coding Alert that confirms these combined stains, when reported on separately, can be coded 88312, 88313. It makes no distinction for Medicare vs. non-Medicare. Is this what you all do?
 
Yes

That is the proper way to code for 88313 and 88312.

Sometimes if the stain is done just looking for intestinal metaplasia or mucin, etc, you would only code it for the 88313. If the stain is done looking for just fungus or organisms, you can only code it for the 88312. However, if the results of both stains are specified, you would code for both. It is coded that way for MCR or NonMCR both.
 
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