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Coronavirus Test Coding and Pricing

Published on 

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

 | Coding 
 | Documentation 

March 13, 2020: AMA Announces New CPT Code to Report Novel Coronavirus Test

The CPT editorial panel expedited approval of a unique CPT code to report laboratory testing services that diagnose the presence of the novel coronavirus.

  • CPT code and long descriptor: 87635 Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (DNA or RNA); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Coronavirus disease [COVID-19]), amplified probe technique
  • Note, the code is effective immediately for use for reporting of tests for the novel coronavirus.

Press Release: https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/new-cpt-code-announced-report-novel-coronavirus-test

Link to further guidance from the AMA regarding the CPT including a CPT Fact Sheet: https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/cpt/cpt-releases-new-coronavirus-covid-19-code-description-testing

Article Author: Beth Cobb, RN, BSN, ACM, CCDS
Beth Cobb, RN, BSN, ACM, CCDS, is the Manager of Clinical Analytics at Medical Management Plus, Inc. Beth has over twenty-five years of experience in healthcare including eleven years in Case Management at a large multi-facility health system. In her current position, Beth is a principle writer for MMP’s Wednesday@One weekly e-newsletter, an active member of our HIPAA Compliance Committee, MMP’s Education Department Program Director and co-developer of MMP’s proprietary Compliance Protection Assessment Tool.

This material was compiled to share information.  MMP, Inc. is not offering legal advice. Every reasonable effort has been taken to ensure the information is accurate and useful.