Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) Susceptibility Testing

January 2026 page 24 Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) Susceptibility Testing For the CPT 2026 code set, two new Category I codes ( 87182 , 87183 ) were established to report CRE susceptibility testing to identify CRE-associated enzymes or genes. These codes provide greater specificity as to what is being tested (ie, enzymes vs resistance genes). This article provides an overview of the intent and use of these new codes. Pathology and Laboratory Microbiology 87181 Susceptibility studies, antimicrobial agent; agar dilution method, per agent (eg, antibiotic gradient strip) 87182 carbapenemase enzyme detection (eg, Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase [KPC], New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase [NDM], Verona...

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Note:  The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AMA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.

Article Overview

This article is a coding overview for pathology and laboratory microbiology in the CPT 2026 code set. It discusses new Category I codes related to carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales susceptibility testing, compares them with an existing susceptibility studies code, and presents clinical examples with procedure descriptions that show the general testing context covered by the codes. The piece is relevant to laboratory coders, pathologists, and reimbursement staff who work with antimicrobial resistance testing.

Why This Topic Matters

Laboratories and coding teams need to distinguish among related microbiology tests when reporting CRE-related susceptibility work in CPT 2026. Understanding the scope of the new codes helps support accurate code selection and consistent documentation review.

Article Sections

  1. January 2026 page 24

    Publication information for the article.

  2. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) Susceptibility Testing

    Overview of the article’s subject matter, including the CPT 2026 update and the general focus on CRE susceptibility testing in microbiology.

  3. Pathology and Laboratory

    Broad specialty context for the coding discussion.

  4. Microbiology

    Microbiology-specific context for the new CPT reporting content.

  5. Clinical Example (87182) / Description of Procedure (87182)

    A combined clinical scenario and associated procedure narrative related to one of the new CPT codes.

  6. Clinical Example (87183) / Description of Procedure (87183)

    A combined clinical scenario and associated procedure narrative related to the other new CPT code.

What You Will Learn

  • The general purpose of the CPT 2026 update for CRE susceptibility testing.
  • How the article frames the distinction between enzyme-focused and gene-focused microbiology reporting.
  • The clinical and laboratory context in which the new reporting concepts are presented.
  • How the article uses examples and procedure descriptions to illustrate the testing scenarios covered.

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Pathologists
  • Clinical laboratory staff
  • Microbiology laboratorians
  • Revenue cycle and compliance staff

Codes Discussed


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