The American Medical Association (AMA) recently updated Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) to enable proper COVID-19 coding and billing of antigen tests performed on patients suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus.
CPT code 87426 is a Category I CPT code approved by the CPT Editorial Panel late last week during a special meeting. The long descriptor is:
Infectious agent antigen detection by immunoassay technique, (eg, enzyme immunoassay [EIA], enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA], immunochemiluminometric assay [IMCA]) qualitative or semiquantitative, multiple-step method; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (eg, SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19])
The new CPT code for antigen testing to detect the coronavirus is the latest in a series of CPT codes developed in rapid response to the pandemic.
AMA has already developed and approved CPT codes for other serological tests for COVID-19 antibodies, including:
- 86328: Immunoassay for infectious agent antibody(ies), qualitative or semiquantitative, single step method (eg, reagent strip); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Coronavirus disease [COVID-19])
- 86769: Antibody; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Coronavirus disease [COVID-19])
References :
https://revcycleintelligence.com/news/new-cpt-code-expands-covid-19-coding-billing-to-antigen-tests
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