CPT Coding Guidance on New Lab Code for COVID-19

by  Christine Woolstenhulme, QCC, QMCS, CPC, CMRS
April 13th, 2020

According to the AMA, "The Addition of one Category I Pathology and Laboratory code (87635) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-2-CoV-2) (Coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) accepted at the March 2020 CPT Editorial Panel meeting.

*Note that code 87635 will be a child code under parent code 87471. It is represented here as the full long descriptor including the language from parent code 87471."

Read below for guidance on coding the new microbiology CPT code for SARS-CoV-2, 87635 from the CPT assistant.

 AMA Fact Sheet: Reporting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Laboratory Testing.

References:

• AMA Fact Sheet: Reporting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Laboratory Testing