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Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Use Basic Antibody for IgG Class

Published on Sun Apr 11, 2010

Question: Our lab performs a Chlamydia antibody panel that tests for IgG an IgM for three distinct species (C. trachomatis, C. pneumoniae, and C. psittaci). How should we code the service,especially given that CPT does not provide a distinct code for the IgG class? Washington Subscriber Answer: You should report the panel using 86631 (Antibody; Chlamydia) and 86632 (Antibody; Chlamydia, IgM). Specifically, you'll report 86631 x 3 and 86632 x 3. Here's why: Although you're correct that CPT provides a distinct code for the IgM antibody class (86632) but not IgG, there is an instructional note that explains how to overcome the omission. You can report the IgG class using the general antibody code -- 86631 in this case. The instructional note for codes 86602-86804 states, "When a coding option exists for reporting IgM specific antibodies, the corresponding nonspecific code may be reported forperformance of ... an IgG analysis." Notice: That [...]
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