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. 2020 Aug 11;60(6):e19–e32. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2020.08.017

Table 6.

Select Medicare billing codes for COVID-19 tests and COVID-19 related services

Coding Description
ICD-10 coding
Z11.59 Asymptomatic, no known exposure, results unknown or negative
Z03.8181 Possible exposure to COVID-19, ruled out
Z20.828 Contact with COVID-19, suspected exposure
CPT/HCPCS code
U0001 CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel
U0002a 2019-nCoV Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2/2019-nCoV (COVID-19), any technique, multiple types or subtypes (includes all targets), non-CDC
U0003 Infectious agent DNA or RNA; SARS-CoV-2 amplified probe technique, making use of high throughput technologies as described by CMS-2020-01-R
87635a Infectious agent DNA or RNA; SARS-CoV-2, amplified probe technique

Abbreviations used: CPT, current procedural terminology; HCPCS, Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System; nCoV, novel coronavirus; CMS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; RT-PCR, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; COVID-19, coronavirus disease; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Note: Patient assessment and specimen collection can be billed by a physician or nonphysician provider using CPT code 99211, with funds being distributed under a financial relationship to the pharmacist who meets incident-to-physician-services billing requirements.

a

Codes that a pharmacy would use to directly bill Medicare as a clinical laboratory.