Compliance Question of the Week – Laboratory

Can CPT code 83721 (lipoprotein, direct measurement; direct measurement, LDL cholesterol) be used to report a calculated LDL cholesterol?

Can the codes 85027 and 85007 be reported together?

Are there specific types of specimen samples covered by code 88108—cytopathology, concentration technique, smears and interpretation (e.g., Saccomanno technique)?

Can labs report CPT code 85007 or CPT code 85008 for examining a blood smear to complete an ordered automated hemogram test (CPT codes 85025 or 85027)?

To follow-up on last week’s question, what functions do processing and storage costs include?

For our outpatients, we procure blood and blood products from a community blood bank that charges us only the processing and storage costs it has incurred. How do we bill for this?

When submitting an electronic claim for testing, is it the performing lab’s CLIA number included or the referral lab?

Could you provide billing guideline for microscopic examination of a urine sample without macroscopic observation?

Please advise how hospital laboratories can be paid for outpatient susceptibility studies (CPT® 87181–87190) for positive cultures. This is an issue due to medical necessity; however, the provider doesn’t have a diagnosis at the time of the order. This is not paid if the organism is not identified. Most laboratories automatically perform this test as part of routine culture work-ups.

How many times per year does Medicare allow code 84443 (thyroid stimulating hormone) to be performed?

Can all laboratories use revenue center codes?

Is a screening code assigned when the reason for performing a test is because the inpatient has had contact with, or exposure to, a communicable disease?