Summary & Overview
CPT 0140U: ePlex BCID Fungal Pathogens Panel, Rapid Molecular Detection
CPT code 0140U designates a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) test for the ePlex® BCID Fungal Pathogens Panel by GenMark Diagnostics Inc., a molecular diagnostic assay that rapidly detects 15 fungal targets from positive blood cultures. As a PLA code, 0140U is specific to a single manufacturer's test and matters nationally because rapid fungal identification from bloodstream infections can influence antimicrobial management, infection control, and laboratory workflows.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find information on payer coverage patterns and contract considerations for PLA tests, typical clinical contexts for ordering the panel, and benchmarking topics relevant to hospital and clinical microbiology laboratories. The publication also provides operational context such as common sites of service and the molecular diagnostic service type, plus a concise list of common billing modifiers provided in the input.
The reader will learn where this test fits clinically, how PLA designation affects coding and payer conversations, and what operational stakeholders should consider when implementing or reporting the assay. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0140U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code for the ePlex® BCID Fungal Pathogens Panel from GenMark Diagnostics Inc. The test uses an automated amplified probe technique for rapid detection of 15 common and emerging fungal targets from positive blood cultures. This code applies only to the single, specific laboratory test provided by the manufacturer/laboratory.
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Service type: Molecular diagnostic infectious disease testing using an automated amplified probe platform
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Typical site of service: Hospital laboratory or clinical microbiology laboratory processing positive blood culture specimens
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A hospitalized adult patient presents with sepsis or clinical evidence of bloodstream infection (fever, hypotension, leukocytosis) and blood cultures are obtained. One or more aerobic or anaerobic blood culture bottles flag positive in the microbiology lab. The clinical team sends the positive blood culture broth to the hospital molecular laboratory or a contracted reference lab for rapid organism identification and resistance marker detection using the ePlex® BCID Fungal Pathogens Panel (GenMark Diagnostics Inc.). The test uses an automated amplified probe technique to detect 15 fungal targets directly from positive blood culture material, providing results faster than culture-based identification. Typical workflow: collection of blood cultures in the emergency department or inpatient unit → incubation in the microbiology instrument → positive signal from culture bottles → Gram stain and preliminary microscopy → order and accessioning of the 0140U fungal panel → sample preparation and run on the ePlex instrument → result verification and release to the electronic medical record → antimicrobial or antifungal therapy decisions informed by panel results. Typical sites of service include hospital inpatient laboratories, hospital-based microbiology labs, and contracted reference laboratories performing specialty molecular testing.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
QK | Clinical laboratory service furnished under a CLIA Certificate of Waiver? (Note: placeholder — QK is used for waived tests in some systems) | Rarely used; apply only if payer-specific guidance requires for waived-status reporting (confirm payer policy). |
QX | Modifier indicating CLIA-certified laboratory personnel performed a moderate or high complexity test under specific billing rules | Use when billing requires identification of personnel credentialing per payer rules.
QY | Laboratory test ordered by a network provider under certain contracts (payer-specific) | Use when payer requires ordering/rendering provider linkage modifiers.
TC | Technical component | Use when the billing entity reports only the technical component (laboratory instrumentation, reagents, processing) for 0140U.
26 | Professional component | Use when a separate entity reports professional interpretation or reporting (rare for automated PLA tests) alongside technical reporting.
52 | Reduced services | Use when test was performed but results limited due to specimen quality, partial run, or instrument failure leading to a reduced-scope report.
53 | Discontinued procedure | Use when testing was started but discontinued for clinical or technical reasons prior to completion.
59 is not listed in the provided modifiers and must not be used | Data not applicable | Data not applicable
78 | Return to the operating room (not typically applicable) | Generally not applicable for this laboratory test; retained in modifier list but used rarely in lab context.
82 | Assistant surgeon (unrelated) | Not applicable to laboratory testing but included in the original modifier list.
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
207RG0100X | Infectious Disease Physician | Clinicians who interpret results to direct antifungal therapy and stewardship. |
207L00000X | Clinical Pathology | Pathologists who oversee laboratory testing and result validation.
307K00000X | Clinical Laboratory Technician/Technologist | Personnel who perform the ePlex assay in hospital or reference labs.
163W00000X | Critical Care Medicine | Critical care providers who order rapid fungal diagnostics for septic patients.
207M00000X | Hematology and Oncology | Providers who frequently manage immunocompromised patients at high risk for fungemia.
Related Diagnoses
| ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
A41.9 | Sepsis, unspecified organism | Common clinical scenario prompting blood cultures and rapid fungal pathogen testing. |
B37.7 | Candidal sepsis | Directly relevant for fungal bloodstream infection detection by the ePlex BCID Fungal Pathogens Panel.
B44.9 | Aspergillosis, unspecified | Relevant when invasive aspergillosis is suspected and rapid detection from blood culture is pursued.
R65.20 | Severe sepsis without septic shock | Clinical context where rapid pathogen identification guides therapy.
B96.4 | Candidiasis as the cause of disease classified elsewhere | Used when a fungal species identified by the panel is recorded as causal organism for a systemic infection.
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |
|---|---|---|
87070 | Culture, other source, bacterial; with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates | Performed when blood culture yields organisms requiring growth-based confirmation in addition to molecular identification. |
87491 | Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (DNA or RNA); direct probe technique, pathogen-specific (e.g., single target) | Related nucleic acid detection methods; used for targeted molecular detection when different platforms or single-target assays are ordered.
87899 | Unlisted infectious disease microbiology procedure | Used when a specific proprietary assay lacks an exact CPT entry in some billing systems (though 0140U is the PLA code for this test).
87077 | Culture, blood, bacterial isolation and presumptive identification | Blood culture processing codes performed in the microbiology lab prior to or alongside molecular panels.
0000U is not provided in input and must not be added | Data not applicable | Data not applicable