4 ICD-10 Changes to the Laboratory National Coverage Determination Edit Software for January 2016

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced four changes that will be included in the January 2016 quarterly release of the edit module for clinical diagnostic laboratory services.

The changes being made to the National Coverage Determinations (NCD) code lists as follows: 

1. Addition of ICD-10-CM codes N131 and N132 to the list of ICD-10-CM codes that are covered by Medicare for the Urine Culture, Bacterial (190.12) NCD.
2. Addition of ICD-10-CM code I481 to the list of ICD-10-CM codes that are covered by Medicare for the Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) (190.16) NCD.
3. Addition of ICD-10-CM code S069X0A to the list of ICD-10-CM codes that are covered by Medicare for the Prothrombin Time (PT) (190.17) NCD.
4. Addition of ICD-10-CM code I481 to the list of ICD-10-CM codes that are covered by Medicare for the Thyroid Testing (190.22) NCD.

These changes are effective for services furnished on or after October 1, 2015.

Those providing laboratory billing services need to be aware of these changes.