Summary & Overview
CPT 0038U: Sensieva Droplet 25‑OH Vitamin D2/D3 LC–MS/MS Assay
CPT code 0038U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code for the Sensieva Droplet™ 25 OH vitamin D2/D3 microvolume LC/MS assay by InSource Diagnostics. It designates a manufacturer-specific quantitative laboratory test that measures 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3 from a very small serum sample using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. PLA codes like 0038U matter nationally because they uniquely identify proprietary tests, support claims processing and tracking of novel diagnostics, and inform coverage decisions and pricing discussions.
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 vitamin D testing, the technical method (LC–MS/MS) and its implications for analytic specificity, and the role of microvolume assays in settings with limited specimen. The publication summarizes expected service settings (clinical and reference laboratories), common modifiers that may appear on claims, and available payer coverage patterns where present. It also highlights benchmarking and policy considerations relevant to PLA-coded tests, including implications for coding consistency, claim adjudication, and national reporting.
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and service line is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0038U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code that describes a single, manufacturer-specific laboratory test. The code identifies the Sensieva Droplet™ 25 OH vitamin D2/D3 microvolume LC/MS assay from InSource Diagnostics, a quantitative serum test for vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3) performed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS).
Service Type: Laboratory — quantitative LC–MS/MS assay for 25‑hydroxyvitamin D2/D3
Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory or reference laboratory using microvolume serum samples
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient for the 0038U Sensieva Droplet™ 25 OH vitamin D2/D3 microvolume LC/MS assay is an outpatient or inpatient whose provider needs an accurate quantitative measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3 from a very small blood volume. Common scenarios include: monitoring vitamin D status in infants and children with limited blood volume, tracking vitamin D therapy in patients with malabsorption or gastric bypass, evaluating hypocalcemia or metabolic bone disease, or confirming insufficiency/deficiency when immunoassay results are equivocal. The clinical workflow: a clinician orders 0038U on the laboratory requisition, a phlebotomist collects a microvolume serum sample (often from a capillary or small-volume venipuncture), the specimen is sent to the laboratory performing the proprietary LC–MS/MS assay, results are reported to the ordering provider, and the provider uses quantitative D2 and D3 results for diagnosis, monitoring therapy, or treatment planning. Typical sites of service include hospital outpatient laboratories, independent reference laboratories, specialty clinical laboratories, and neonatal or pediatric inpatient units where microvolume sampling is required.
Coding Specifications
- Below are the most clinically relevant modifiers for
0038Uwith usage guidance.
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|