New COVID Codes Released on 6/25 (87426, 0223U, 0224U)

To address the ongoing clinical need to report testing, the CPT Editorial Panel has added one new Category I code (87426) to provide increased specificity for reporting immunoassay antigen testing and two new proprietary laboratory analyses (PLA) testing codes (0223U, 0224U). The AMA expedited the publication of these CPT codes to the AMA website on Thursday, June 25, 2020, at https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/cpt/covid-19-coding-and-guidance. These codes are effective immediately for use in reporting these laboratory tests.

• 87426 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (eg, SARS-CoV, SARSCoV-2 [COVID-19])

  The new codes will allow for more accurate reporting of immunoassay testing for SARS-Coronavirus antigen. It is worth noting that the code is not specific for SARS-CoV-2, and it could be used for an immunoassay that detects antigenic proteins for either SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2. As the antigenic proteins across the SARS-Coronavirus family are highly conserved, the assays currently available are not capable of distinguishing between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2.
   

• 0223U Infectious disease (bacterial or viral respiratory tract infection), pathogenspecific nucleic acid (DNA or RNA), 22 targets including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), qualitative RT-PCR, nasopharyngeal swab, each pathogen reported as detected or not detected

  New PLA code 0223U describes a novel type of fully automated molecular assay that provides simultaneous qualitative detection and identification of multiple respiratory pathogens based on viral and bacterial nucleic acids obtained via nasopharyngeal swabs.
   

• 0224U Antibody, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) (Coronavirus disease [COVID-19]), includes titer(s), when performed

  New PLA code 0224U describes qualitative and quantitative detection of antibodies in serum and plasma. The test may aid in determining whether an individual suspected of significant exposure or prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus has a high titer of IgG antibodies against this virus when performed.

Source: https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/cpt/covid-19-coding-and-guidance