AMA CPT® Assistant - 2006 Issue 3 (March)
Changes to Pathology and Laboratory-Part II (March 2006)
March 2006 pages 6-9 Coding Communication:Changes to Pathology and Laboratory-Part II Part I With the publication of CPT 2006, numerous changes were made to the Pathology and Laboratory section with the addition of 29 new codes and eight revised codes. Due to these numerous changes, this article is divided into two parts. Part I, published in the February 2006 edition of CPT Assistant, highlighted the Chemistry subsection. Part II focuses on the remaining changes to the Pathology and Laboratory section of CPT 2006. Therapeutic Drug Assays CPT code 80195, Sirolimus, has been established to report a new immunoassay test...
Subscribe or sign in to view the full article.
Article Overview
This March 2006 coding communication summarizes CPT 2006 changes for pathology and laboratory services, focusing on therapeutic drug assays, immunology, transfusion medicine, microbiology, cytopathology, surgical pathology, and other procedures. It is intended for coders, laboratorians, and other professionals who need a broad understanding of how the section was updated and which areas of practice were affected. The article also notes related editorial and cross-reference changes, code conversions, and revised reporting context across several laboratory specialties.
Why This Topic Matters
It helps readers quickly identify whether the article is relevant to their pathology and laboratory coding work and understand the scope of the 2006 CPT revisions discussed in this installment.
Article Sections
-
March 2006 pages 6-9
Introduces the article as a continuation of CPT 2006 pathology and laboratory updates and identifies the part of the section covered in this installment.
-
Therapeutic Drug Assays
Covers pathology and laboratory changes related to drug monitoring and other assay updates within CPT 2006.
-
Immunology
Discusses CPT 2006 immunology updates, including new testing categories, code placement changes, and related cross-reference revisions.
-
Transfusion Medicine
Summarizes CPT changes for transfusion medicine, including new reporting options and related limitations on combining services.
-
Microbiology
Reviews microbiology updates involving cross-references, stain-related reporting, and new infectious agent testing categories.
-
Cytopathology
Describes revisions affecting cytopathology reporting language and editorial guidance in the CPT 2006 update.
-
Surgical Pathology
Explains new intraoperative pathology consultation reporting concepts, specimen handling scenarios, and related modifier discussion.
-
Other Procedures
Covers additional CPT 2006 pathology and laboratory procedures outside the main subsections, including a newly established specialized test and related specimen procurement context.
What You Will Learn
- Which pathology and laboratory areas were updated in CPT 2006
- What kinds of code changes were introduced across multiple laboratory subsections
- How the article organizes updates by specialty and procedure type
- Which sections include cross-reference, revision, conversion, or renumbering changes
- What broader reporting topics are addressed in surgical pathology and other procedures
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Pathology laboratory billing staff
- Compliance teams
- Physicians and pathologists
- Revenue cycle professionals
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
Modifiers Discussed
Subscribe or sign in to view the full article.
Quick, Current, Complete - www.findacode.com
