Summary & Overview
CPT 0024U: GlycA Glycosylated Acute Phase Protein Assay
CPT code 0024U designates a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) test: the GlycA assay for glycosylated acute phase proteins, a blood-based measure of systemic inflammation developed by Laboratory Corporation of America. As a PLA code, 0024U identifies a single manufacturer-specific test and supports clear claims and tracking for this proprietary diagnostic. Nationally, PLA codes matter because they enable distinct coding for novel laboratory diagnostics that do not fit existing analyte codes, facilitating coverage determinations, utilization monitoring, and price transparency for emerging tests.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for GlycA testing, common sites of service and service type, and what to expect in payer engagement for a proprietary laboratory assay. The publication summarizes benchmark considerations, common billing modifiers, and practical coding notes relevant to billing and claims submission for 0024U. It also outlines where data were available and notes areas where specific payer policy details or utilization benchmarks are not provided. This national-level summary is intended for billing managers, laboratory administrators, and policy analysts seeking concise information on the coding and clinical role of the GlycA PLA test.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0024U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code that describes a single, manufacturer-specific laboratory test: the GlycA assay for glycosylated acute phase proteins, a biomarker of systemic inflammation, developed by Laboratory Corporation of America. The service type is laboratory diagnostic testing using a proprietary assay. The typical site of service is a clinical laboratory or reference laboratory setting where blood-based biomarker testing is processed.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old patient with longstanding rheumatoid arthritis presents to a rheumatology clinic for assessment of systemic inflammation and cardiovascular risk stratification. The clinician orders the GlycA assay (0024U) as part of a laboratory panel to quantify glycosylated acute phase proteins and provide an integrated measure of chronic systemic inflammation. The typical workflow: patient presents at an outpatient ambulatory clinic or hospital outpatient laboratory for a venipuncture; blood specimen is labeled and sent to Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) for proprietary GlycA analysis under PLA code 0024U. Results are returned to the ordering clinician and used alongside clinical assessment, CRP, ESR, lipid panel, and disease activity scores to inform monitoring of inflammatory disease activity and long-term risk management. Typical sites of service include outpatient physician offices, ambulatory care clinics, and hospital outpatient laboratories. Specimen handling follows standard venipuncture and laboratory transport protocols for proprietary assays performed by a reference laboratory.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier; standard service | Use when no special circumstance applies to the billed test |