Summary & Overview
CPT 0060U: Panorama Twin Zygosity Test, Cell-Free Fetal DNA Sequencing
CPT code 0060U designates the Panorama® Twin Zygosity Proprietary Laboratory Analyses test, a noninvasive genomic targeted sequencing assay on chromosome 2 applied to circulating cell–free fetal DNA in maternal blood to determine monozygosity versus dizygosity in twin pregnancies. This PLA code identifies a single manufacturer-specific test and matters nationally because it informs clinical management of twin gestations, impacts downstream prenatal care decisions, and is subject to payer coverage policies that vary across major insurers.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the service, common payer coverage considerations, and the clinical context in which the test is used. The publication provides benchmarks on coding and administrative handling for a manufacturer-specific PLA, summaries of typical sites of service, and notes on documentation clinicians and laboratories supply for medical necessity determinations.
This analysis emphasizes operational and policy-relevant information for national stakeholders: clinicians ordering the test, laboratory billing teams, and payer policy analysts. It highlights where data is available and explicitly notes when input fields were not provided. The content does not offer clinical recommendations but summarizes how CPT code 0060U is positioned within prenatal genetic testing workflows and payer interactions.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0060U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code for the Panorama® Twin Zygosity test by Natera, Inc. The test uses genomic targeted sequence analysis of chromosome 2 in circulating cell–free fetal DNA from maternal blood to determine whether twin fetuses are monozygotic (identical) or dizygotic (fraternal) by comparing fetal DNA profiles.
Service Type: Noninvasive prenatal laboratory testing using cell-free fetal DNA analysis
Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory or outpatient specimen collection site (maternal blood draw)
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A pregnant patient with a dichorionic or monochorionic twin pregnancy is referred for noninvasive zygosity testing when chorionicity is uncertain, dizygosity would alter counseling, or when one gestational sac lacks an identifiable fetus for prenatal workup. The ordering clinician (obstetrician-gynecologist or maternal-fetal medicine specialist) documents the indication in the prenatal visit note and obtains informed consent. A maternal blood draw is collected after the gestational age threshold appropriate for circulating cell-free fetal DNA analysis (commonly after 10 weeks gestation). The sample is sent to the performing laboratory (Natera, Inc.) which performs the Panorama® Twin Zygosity test using targeted sequencing of chromosome 2 in maternal plasma cell-free DNA to compare fetal genotypes and determine whether twins are monozygotic or dizygotic. Results are returned to the ordering clinician and used for counseling about recurrence risk, donor gamete considerations, twin-specific monitoring, and interpretation of aneuploidy screening results. Typical site of service is an outpatient obstetrics clinic or outpatient phlebotomy center; laboratory analysis occurs in a reference/central laboratory.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Default, no modifier | Use when no special circumstances apply to the billing of the PLA test. |