Pathology and Laboratory: Microbiology (Q&A) (November 2011)

November 2011 page 10c Pathology and Laboratory: Microbiology Question: How would the following be reported: When performing a urine culture, two bacteria are identified.A presumptive identification is performed on one while aerobic definitive identification is performed on the other. Would codes 87086 , 87088 , and 87077 be reported for the testing performed? Answer: Yes. Codes 87086 , Culture, bacterial; quantitative colony count, urine , is reported to represent identification of a bacterial culture for urine that includes a quantitative colony count. Code 87088 , Culture, bacterial; with isolation and presumptive identification of each isolate, urine , represents testing of each distinct isolate for...

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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 CPT Assistant microbiology Q&A explains how a urine culture scenario with more than one bacterial isolate is discussed in relation to laboratory reporting. It is relevant for pathology and laboratory professionals, coders, and billing staff who work with microbiology services and need to interpret guidance tied to CPT laboratory reporting. The article centers on a specific test scenario and the associated coding guidance for bacterial culture workup.

Why This Topic Matters

Microbiology reporting often depends on the exact testing performed, so clarifying how a multi-isolate urine culture is discussed can help reduce coding inconsistency and improve claim accuracy.

Article Sections

  1. Question

    Presents a urine culture scenario involving more than one bacterial isolate and asks how the related laboratory testing should be reported.

  2. Answer

    Provides the article’s discussion of the reporting approach for the laboratory services described in the question and ties the scenario to CPT microbiology reporting.

What You Will Learn

  • How the article frames urine culture reporting when multiple bacterial isolates are identified
  • Which microbiology testing concepts are discussed in relation to CPT laboratory reporting
  • How the article addresses bacterial culture workup in a pathology and laboratory context
  • What kind of guidance CPT Assistant provides for microbiology-related coding questions

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Pathology and laboratory billing staff
  • Microbiology laboratory professionals
  • Compliance teams supporting laboratory coding

Codes Discussed


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