Loading...

    Explore
    • Policy Monitoring
    • Live Policy Feed
    • Billing Codes
    • NPI Medicare & Medicaid
    • Healthcare Providers
    • Health Insurance Payers
    • States
    • Service Lines
    • Taxonomy Codes
    Lookup tools
    • Billing Code Lookup
    • CPT Modifier Lookup
    • Provider Taxonomy Code Lookup
    • Healthcare Provider & Facility Lookup
    • Health Insurance Payer Lookup
    • Payer Contact Directory

    Policy & Benchmark Tools

    • Prior Authorization Lookup
    • Coverage Criteria Lookup
    • Timely Filing Lookup
    • Billing Code Reimbursement Rates
    • Payer Comparison Dashboard
    • Facility Comparison Dashboard
    • All tools

    Company

    • About OpenPayer
    • Data Sources
    • Trek Health
    OpenPayerby Trek Health
    LinkedInYouTube

    © 2026 Trek Health. All rights reserved.

    OpenPayer is built and maintained by Trek Health.

    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesProprietary Laboratory AnalysesCPT cpt-0206u-discern-skin-biopsy-pkc-epsilon-alzheimer-test
    Ask Trek AI about this page

    CPT 0206U: Discern™ Skin Biomarker Test for Alzheimer Disease

    CPT code 0206U describes the proprietary Discern™ test by NeuroDiagnostics, a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) assay that analyzes a cultured skin specimen using morphometric imaging and protein kinase C–epsilon (PKCe) biomarker measurements to identify Alzheimer disease; service type is laboratory diagnostic testing and the typical site of service is a clinical laboratory or specialized diagnostic laboratory where cultured skin specimens are processed and analyzed.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: RTM Testing of Homocysteine Metabolism-Related Conditions, Multimarker Serum Testing Related to Ovarian Cancer, B-Hemolytic Streptococcus Testing.

    Customize your policy alerts

    Sign up for cpt 0206U policy alerts

    Get alerted when payer policies referencing 0206U are released or updated.

    Monitor payer policy activity

    Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

    Table of contents

    Progress1 / 6

    Explore openpayer tools

    • Billing CodesCPT, HCPCS, DRG & more
    • Reimbursement RatesCommercial vs. Medicare rate reports
    • ProvidersHospitals & facilities
    • PayersPlans & market footprint
    • Taxonomy CodesNUCC specialty codes
    • ModifiersCPT modifiers & usage
    • Prior AuthorizationPA policies by payer & drug
    • Timely FilingFiling deadlines by payer
    • Coverage CriteriaMedical necessity by payer
    • Payer ContactsClaims, PA & appeals contacts
    View all tools

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient is an older adult with progressive cognitive decline, memory loss, or clinical features concerning for early Alzheimer disease evaluated in a neurology or memory clinic. The patient undergoes a skin punch biopsy to obtain a small cultured skin specimen. The specimen is sent to NeuroDiagnostics for the proprietary Discern™ assay (0206U), which includes morphometric imaging and protein kinase C–epsilon (PKCε) biomarker measurements to aid in identifying Alzheimer disease pathology. The clinical workflow: the neurologist or geriatrician documents cognitive exam findings and orders the test; a dermatology or neurology clinician performs the skin punch biopsy during an outpatient visit (typical site of service: outpatient physician office or ambulatory surgical center; laboratory processing occurs at the proprietary testing laboratory); the specimen is shipped under chain-of-custody to the vendor laboratory; the laboratory performs culture, morphometric imaging, and PKCε assays and reports a result that is incorporated into the patient’s diagnostic evaluation and care plan. Indications include diagnostic clarification in patients with suspected Alzheimer disease, particularly when noninvasive blood or cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers are inconclusive or unavailable.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    0212UProprietary laboratory analysis; amyloid beta oligomer assay (example PLA code)Other proprietary biomarker assays may be ordered in parallel or as alternative molecular diagnostics in dementia evaluation
    11102Tangential biopsy of skin, single lesion; excision less than 1.1 cmProcedure code for skin biopsy techniques that may be used to obtain the specimen prior to laboratory testing
    87070Culture, bacterial; any source, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of coloniesGeneral microbiology culture code; included here as an example of laboratory processing codes that might accompany specimen handling (not specific to proprietary assay)
    88342Immunohistochemistry or immunocytochemistry, per specimen; initial single antibody stainAncillary tissue-based testing that may be performed on skin specimens in other diagnostic workflows

    Related Modifiers

    5 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    P5Modifier P5 denotes a moribund patient who is not expected to survive without the operative procedure and is used only with anesthesia CPT codes 00100–01999. The anesthesia provider must append P5…- Use modifier P5 only when the anesthesia provider determines the patient is moribund and not expected to survive without the operation, and append it only to anesthesia CPT codes 00100–01999…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy CodeSpecialtyNotes
    207RH0000XHematology (Internal Medicine) PhysicianAn internist with additional training who specializes in diseases of the blood, spleen and lymph. This specialist treats conditions such as anemia, cl…
    207P00000XEmergency Medicine PhysicianAn emergency physician focuses on the immediate decision making and action necessary to prevent death or any further disability both in the pre-hospit…
    207N00000XDermatology PhysicianA dermatologist is trained to diagnose and treat pediatric and adult patients with benign and malignant disorders of the skin, mouth, external genital…
    207L00000XAnesthesiology PhysicianAn anesthesiologist is trained to provide pain relief and maintenance, or restoration, of a stable condition during and immediately following an opera…
    2084P0800XPsychiatry PhysicianA Psychiatrist specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders, emotional disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, …
    193200000XMulti-Specialty GroupA business group of one or more individual practitioners, who practice with different areas of specialization.
    364S00000XClinical Nurse SpecialistA registered nurse who, through a graduate degree program in nursing, or through a formal post-basic education program or continuing education courses…
    163WX1500XOstomy Care Registered NurseNursing Service Providers · Registered Nurse

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Genetic & Molecular Testing1 / 3

    2 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    RTM Testing of Homocysteine Metabolism-Related ConditionsOscar Health2026-10-01
    Multimarker Serum Testing Related to Ovarian CancerBlue Cross Blue Shield - Rhode Island2026-09-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-0001U-PRECISETYPE-HEA-MULTIPLEX-RBC-ANTIGEN-GENOTYPING

    CPT 0001U: PreciseType HEA Erythrocyte Antigen Genotyping

    CPT-0002U-POLYPDX-URINE-METABOLOMIC-ASSAY-ADENOMATOUS-POLYP-RISK

    CPT 0002U: PolypDX™ Urine Metabolomic Risk Assay

    CPT-0003U-OVAR-A-NEXT-GENERATION-OVARIAN-CANCER-RISK-ASSAY

    CPT 0003U: Overa (MIA2G) Ovarian Cancer Risk Assay

    CPT-0005U-PROSTATE-EXOSOMEDX-INTELLISCORE-GENE-EXPRESSION-URINE-TEST

    CPT 0005U: ExosomeDx Prostate (IntelliScore) urine gene expression test

    CPT-0007U-TOXPROTECT-URINE-DRUG-SCREEN-WITH-DNA-AUTHENTICATION

    CPT 0007U: ToxProtect Urine Drug Screen With DNA Authentication

    CPT-0008U-H-PYLORI-ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE-SEQUENCING-PANEL

    CPT 0008U: H. pylori Antibiotic Resistance Gene Panel

    CPT-0009U-DEPARRAY-HER2-FISH-TUMOR-CELL-ISOLATION

    CPT 0009U: DEPArray HER2 Tumor‑Cell Isolation with FISH Analysis

    CPT-0010U-BACTERIAL-TYPING-WHOLE-GENOME-SEQUENCING-MAYO-CLINIC

    CPT 0010U: Bacterial Typing by Whole Genome Sequencing, Mayo Clinic

    CPT-0011U-CORDANT-CORE-ALGORITHMIC-ORAL-FLUID-DRUG-TEST

    CPT 0011U: Oral Fluid Drug Test with Algorithmic Steady‑State Comparison

    CPT-0016U-BCR-ABL1-MAJOR-MINOR-FUSION-TRANSCRIPT-TESTING

    CPT 0016U: BCR–ABL1 Major and Minor Breakpoint Fusion Transcripts

    Showing 1–10 of 536

    • More pages

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
    Published by

    Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

    Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.