AMA CPT® Assistant - 1999 Issue 4 (April)
Bilirubin Testing (April 1999)
April 1999 page 6 Coding Update Bilirubin Testing For CPT 1999 several pathology and laboratory changes were made related to total and direct bilirubin testing to more accurately reflect current clinical medical and laboratory practices. Code 82250 describing total or direct bilirubin testing was deleted and two new codes 82247, Bilirubin; total, and 82248, direct, were added to delineate the type of testing performed. The hepatic function panel code 80058 was also revised to reflect inclusion of codes 82247 and 82248. Rationale for Change Prior to CPT 1999, code 82250 described two types of bilirubin measurement-total or direct-each test...
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Article Overview
This premium article explains a CPT 1999 update affecting bilirubin-related laboratory reporting. It is aimed at laboratory coders, compliance staff, and clinicians who need to understand the revised structure of bilirubin testing and its relationship to broader liver panel reporting. The article discusses the coding update, the rationale for the change, common reporting scenarios, and background terminology used in bilirubin measurement.
Why This Topic Matters
Accurate bilirubin reporting is important for matching laboratory documentation to the correct CPT structure and for understanding how individual tests relate to broader chemistry panels. The article helps readers interpret a code revision that affects routine pathology and laboratory billing practices.
Article Sections
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Coding Update
Introduces the CPT 1999 laboratory update and summarizes the scope of the bilirubin-related changes affecting test reporting.
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Rationale for Change
Explains the general reason the bilirubin testing structure was revised and discusses the clinical and laboratory context behind the update.
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Which Code Should I Use?
Addresses common reporting scenarios for bilirubin-related laboratory services and the relationship between individual testing and panel-based reporting.
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Glossary of Terms
Provides background terminology related to bilirubin chemistry and related laboratory concepts used in the article.
What You Will Learn
- How a CPT 1999 bilirubin testing update changed the structure of laboratory reporting
- How bilirubin testing relates to broader hepatic laboratory panels
- What general reporting scenarios the article discusses for bilirubin-related services
- The terminology used to describe bilirubin fractions and related laboratory concepts
Who Should Read This
- Laboratory coders
- Medical billers
- Compliance staff
- Clinical laboratory personnel
- Physicians ordering liver function testing
Codes Discussed
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