Laboratory Question for the Week of July 27, 2020

Question:

When it comes to microbiology follow-up test coding, what can labs still report separate codes for?

Answer:

For 2020, laboratories can continue to assign separate codes for:

• The stain performed on the primary specimen
• The primary culture, which includes the presumptive identification procedures
• The definitive identification procedure for each isolate
• Additional, method-specific identification studies
• Antimicrobial sensitivity studies.

This question was answered in our Coding Essentials for Laboratories. For more hot topics relating to laboratory services, please visit our store or call us at 1.800.252.1578, ext. 2.