Pathology/Lab Coding Alert
Path/Lab Coding:
Be Direct, Bill for Both These Bilirubin Tests
Question: If our lab performs both a total bilirubin and a direct bilirubin test, can we r... Read more
Be Direct, Bill for Both These Bilirubin Tests
Question: If our lab performs both a total bilirubin and a direct bilirubin test, can we r... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Get a Quick Look at These 2025 Path/Lab NCCI, MUEs, and PLA Code Updates
Don't miss these two increases to Medicare MUEs. Want to get your 2025 off to a good star... Read more
Get a Quick Look at These 2025 Path/Lab NCCI, MUEs, and PLA Code Updates
Don't miss these two increases to Medicare MUEs. Want to get your 2025 off to a good star... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Note This MUE to Bill Antibody Stains Correctly
Question: Our lab is having issues billing for 88341, 88342, and 88360. Fairly regularly, ... Read more
Note This MUE to Bill Antibody Stains Correctly
Question: Our lab is having issues billing for 88341, 88342, and 88360. Fairly regularly, ... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Pick These Codes for Tubal Ligation and Placenta Pathology
Question: A patient had a cesarean section (C-section) and had bilateral tubal ligation du... Read more
Pick These Codes for Tubal Ligation and Placenta Pathology
Question: A patient had a cesarean section (C-section) and had bilateral tubal ligation du... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Look to Neoplasm Codes for Inflammatory Breast Cancer Dx
Question: Our pathologist diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer. Should we report this usin... Read more
Look to Neoplasm Codes for Inflammatory Breast Cancer Dx
Question: Our pathologist diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer. Should we report this usin... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Don’t Let Mistakes Muddle You Modifier 90 or 91 Claims
Here's how to avoid duplicate billing. Clinical labs frequently reach for modifiers 90 (R... Read more
Don’t Let Mistakes Muddle You Modifier 90 or 91 Claims
Here's how to avoid duplicate billing. Clinical labs frequently reach for modifiers 90 (R... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Use This 1 Code to Document 2 Testosterone Tests
Question: Our lab performs tests to assess a patient's ability to produce testosterone aft... Read more
Use This 1 Code to Document 2 Testosterone Tests
Question: Our lab performs tests to assess a patient's ability to produce testosterone aft... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Look to This Immunoassay Code for Islet Cell Tests
Question: The lab performed an ELISA test for glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody on... Read more
Look to This Immunoassay Code for Islet Cell Tests
Question: The lab performed an ELISA test for glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody on... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Follow 3 Tips for Perfect Prostate Biopsy Pathology Coding
Test yourself with this coding case study. Billing a case for a prostate biopsy pathology... Read more
Follow 3 Tips for Perfect Prostate Biopsy Pathology Coding
Test yourself with this coding case study. Billing a case for a prostate biopsy pathology... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Go the Distance, Understand Specimen Collection Travel Allowance Codes
Question: We are a primary care practice with a traveling phlebotomist and our own lab, an... Read more
Go the Distance, Understand Specimen Collection Travel Allowance Codes
Question: We are a primary care practice with a traveling phlebotomist and our own lab, an... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Stay on Top of April Updates for Path/Lab MUEs, Fees, and ICD-10-CM
Plus, see what's in store for PLA changes in July. The second quarter of 2025 is now here... Read more
Stay on Top of April Updates for Path/Lab MUEs, Fees, and ICD-10-CM
Plus, see what's in store for PLA changes in July. The second quarter of 2025 is now here... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Understand These 2 LCDs Before Coding This Respiratory Pathogen Panel
Question: What is the correct way to bill for COVID, influenza A and B, and RSV testing? W... Read more
Understand These 2 LCDs Before Coding This Respiratory Pathogen Panel
Question: What is the correct way to bill for COVID, influenza A and B, and RSV testing? W... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Distinguish Between These Iron Stain Tests
Question: What is the difference between codes 85536 and 88313 for iron stain? India... Read more
Distinguish Between These Iron Stain Tests
Question: What is the difference between codes 85536 and 88313 for iron stain? India... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Master Infectious-Agent Coding With These 5 Tips
Don't forget what the # symbol means in CPT®. When you're searching for the correct test... Read more
Master Infectious-Agent Coding With These 5 Tips
Don't forget what the # symbol means in CPT®. When you're searching for the correct test... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Don’t Get Tired of Reporting Fatigue Dx With CBC
Question: Is it true that you cannot report fatigue as a primary diagnosis on outpatient l... Read more
Don’t Get Tired of Reporting Fatigue Dx With CBC
Question: Is it true that you cannot report fatigue as a primary diagnosis on outpatient l... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Know the Difference Between These 2 Amplified Probe Codes
Question: When is it appropriate to bill multiple units of 87798 as opposed to billing 1 u... Read more
Know the Difference Between These 2 Amplified Probe Codes
Question: When is it appropriate to bill multiple units of 87798 as opposed to billing 1 u... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Advance Your Understanding of Drug Test Coding, Part 1
Applying the correct code is as easy as understanding the test's purpose. Drug testing ma... Read more
Advance Your Understanding of Drug Test Coding, Part 1
Applying the correct code is as easy as understanding the test's purpose. Drug testing ma... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Learn This Lyme Test Lesson
Question: We are currently seeing a greater than normal amount of requests to conduct lab ... Read more
Learn This Lyme Test Lesson
Question: We are currently seeing a greater than normal amount of requests to conduct lab ... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Match This Biopsy Lab With the Right Dx
Question: We are seeing denials when 88305 is billed with certain diagnosis codes, so I'm ... Read more
Match This Biopsy Lab With the Right Dx
Question: We are seeing denials when 88305 is billed with certain diagnosis codes, so I'm ... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Mark This DOS Advice in Your Claim Calendar
Question: We received a saliva specimen for a genetic screening test that had been stored ... Read more
Mark This DOS Advice in Your Claim Calendar
Question: We received a saliva specimen for a genetic screening test that had been stored ... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Advance Your Understanding of Drug Test Coding, Part 2
Make sure you answer the mini quiz at the end. Last month, we looked at the difference be... Read more
Advance Your Understanding of Drug Test Coding, Part 2
Make sure you answer the mini quiz at the end. Last month, we looked at the difference be... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Bill a Test Without a Specimen? Think Again
Question: Our lab just brought on a new client, and a lot of the specimens they are sendin... Read more
Bill a Test Without a Specimen? Think Again
Question: Our lab just brought on a new client, and a lot of the specimens they are sendin... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Locate Peptic Ulcer Codes Precisely
Question: Our pathologist examined a duodenum biopsy from an esophagogastroduodenosco... Read more
Locate Peptic Ulcer Codes Precisely
Question: Our pathologist examined a duodenum biopsy from an esophagogastroduodenosco... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Discover These New Oncology and Infectious Disease Testing PLA Codes
Prepare for 25 added and 2 deleted codes beginning Oct. 1, 2025. The AMA has announced up... Read more
Discover These New Oncology and Infectious Disease Testing PLA Codes
Prepare for 25 added and 2 deleted codes beginning Oct. 1, 2025. The AMA has announced up... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Use Pathologist Findings for This Definitive Dx Code
Question: Are we as coders allowed to code from the lab results? The ordering physici... Read more
Use Pathologist Findings for This Definitive Dx Code
Question: Are we as coders allowed to code from the lab results? The ordering physici... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Code This Lab by Specimen, Not Procedure
Question: I am trying to figure out the correct CPT® code for this specimen. The gross de... Read more
Code This Lab by Specimen, Not Procedure
Question: I am trying to figure out the correct CPT® code for this specimen. The gross de... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Get the Answers to All Your Digital Pathology Digitization Procedure Code Questions
Learn why reporting them is in your long-term best interests. The digital pathology digit... Read more
Get the Answers to All Your Digital Pathology Digitization Procedure Code Questions
Learn why reporting them is in your long-term best interests. The digital pathology digit... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Pinpoint Sample Location Precisely for Accurate Breast Biopsy Dx Coding
Question: Our lab performed a biopsy on tissue samples taken from a female patient's upper... Read more
Pinpoint Sample Location Precisely for Accurate Breast Biopsy Dx Coding
Question: Our lab performed a biopsy on tissue samples taken from a female patient's upper... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Beware Payer Bundling for Multiple STI NAAT Tests
Know when payer policy overrides CPT®, NCCI rules. Consider the following scenario, comm... Read more
Beware Payer Bundling for Multiple STI NAAT Tests
Know when payer policy overrides CPT®, NCCI rules. Consider the following scenario, comm... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Take This Advice to Select the Correct Tonsil Biopsy Code
Question: Can you explain the difference between 88304, 88305, and 88309 with regard to to... Read more
Take This Advice to Select the Correct Tonsil Biopsy Code
Question: Can you explain the difference between 88304, 88305, and 88309 with regard to to... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Report Pathologist, Not Provider, Findings for This EGD Procedure
Question: The surgeon submitted a stomach biopsy of “inflamed tissue” from an eso... Read more
Report Pathologist, Not Provider, Findings for This EGD Procedure
Question: The surgeon submitted a stomach biopsy of “inflamed tissue” from an eso... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Look to Provider Documentation to Code Elevated PSA
Question: A patient's prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test showed a level that was higher ... Read more
Look to Provider Documentation to Code Elevated PSA
Question: A patient's prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test showed a level that was higher ... Read more
Path/Lab Coding:
Navigate Reproductive Medicine Lab Codes for Clean Claims
Account for each step in cases that may span years. To establish a healthy pregnancy, inf... Read more
Navigate Reproductive Medicine Lab Codes for Clean Claims
Account for each step in cases that may span years. To establish a healthy pregnancy, inf... Read more