Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: When our lab identifies the Hepatitis C genotype, should we separately report each of the molecular diagnostics steps that we use to reach the diagnosis?


Virginia Subscriber


Answer: No, you should not use a series of molecular diagnostics codes for identifying the Hepatitis C genotype. You should always report the most specific CPT code available to describe a service. Because CPT lists a code specifically for Hepatitis C genotyping (87902, Infectious agent genotype analysis by nucleic acid [DNA or RNA]; Hepatitis C virus), you should report only this code.

Although your lab probably performs several steps described in the molecular diagnostics codes to accomplish the Hepatitis C genotyping, you should not report the individual steps. The steps might include services such as extraction (83890, Molecular diagnostics; molecular isolation or extraction), nucleic acid probe (83896, ... nucleic acid probe, each) and interpretation (83912, ... interpretation and report). Nonetheless, you should report the more specific 87902 instead.

Don’t report the molecular diagnostics codes in addition to 87902. NCCI bundles these codes and considers the molecular diagnostic steps a component of the more comprehensive 87902 service.