Summary & Overview
CPT 0239U: FoundationOne Liquid CDx NGS Liquid Biopsy Panel
CPT code 0239U designates FoundationOne® Liquid CDx, a proprietary next-generation sequencing (NGS) liquid biopsy panel that evaluates cell–free DNA from a blood specimen across 311+ genes associated with solid-organ tumors. As a PLA code, 0239U applies to a single manufacturer-specific assay and represents a growing category of precision oncology diagnostics that inform therapy selection and clinical decision-making on a national scale. The code matters because it standardizes reporting and billing for a commercially unique test that can influence targeted treatment access and coverage determinations.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the code’s clinical context, expected service setting, and the nature of the assay. The publication summarizes payer coverage considerations and typical billing elements associated with PLA codes, highlights common modifiers used with such laboratory services, and outlines the clinical implications of broad NGS panels for solid-organ tumors. This resource provides benchmarks and policy-relevant notes to support coding accuracy, claims submission, and payer discussions for nationally delivered precision oncology testing.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0239U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code reported for FoundationOne® Liquid CDx from Foundation Medicine Inc. The test uses a next generation sequencing targeted sequence analysis panel to evaluate cell–free DNA from a blood specimen for 311 or more genes associated with solid-organ tumors. This assay is designed to detect genomic alterations relevant to cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted therapy selection.
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Service type: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) targeted panel, proprietary liquid biopsy assay
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Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or reference laboratory processing a blood specimen
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 62-year-old patient with a history of metastatic non–small cell lung cancer presents for molecular profiling after progression on first-line systemic therapy. The treating oncologist orders the FoundationOne® Liquid CDx test (0239U) to perform comprehensive circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis using next-generation sequencing of a peripheral blood specimen. A phlebotomy appointment is scheduled at an outpatient oncology clinic or an independent reference laboratory collection site. The specimen is processed and sent to Foundation Medicine, Inc. for the proprietary assay. Results report actionable genomic alterations, tumor mutational burden, and other biomarkers to guide targeted therapy selection, clinical trial enrollment, or further tissue testing. Typical care team members involved include the ordering medical oncologist, nursing or phlebotomy staff who collect and prepare the blood specimen, the laboratory service performing the assay, and the clinician receiving the molecular report for treatment planning. Typical site of service is an outpatient oncology clinic, hospital outpatient phlebotomy lab, or independent laboratory collection center. Typical service type is a laboratory diagnostic molecular pathology test (Proprietary Laboratory Analyses).
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Administrative code (not for reporting clinical services) | Rarely used; typically not reported with laboratory PLA codes |
11 | Primary service | When 0239U is the primary service on the claim |
22 | Increased procedural services | When unusually complex processing or reporting increases resource use beyond standard for the test |
26 | Professional component | When a separate professional interpretation component is billed by a physician or pathologist |
52 | Reduced services | When specimen or testing is incomplete and a reduced service is performed |
53 | Discontinued procedure | When testing is aborted prior to completion for clinical reasons |
62 | Two surgeons | Not typically applicable to lab testing; included only when dual reporting providers required |
78 | Unplanned return to OR | Not applicable to this laboratory test; not used |
80 | Assistant at surgery | Not applicable to this laboratory test; not used |
QK | Medical direction of certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | Not applicable to this laboratory test; not used |
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
207RG0100X | Medical Oncology | Ordering specialists who request comprehensive genomic profiling |
207RH0000X | Hematology-Oncology | Specialists managing solid tumor patients and systemic therapy |
207K00000X | Hematology | Hematologists involved when liquid biopsy intersects hematologic malignancy assessment |
2080P0002X | Clinical Pathology | Pathologists or lab directors overseeing molecular diagnostics quality and interpretation |
207L00000X | Oncology Nurse Practitioner | Advanced practice providers who often order or coordinate testing |
Related Diagnoses
| ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
C34.90 | Malignant neoplasm of unspecified part of unspecified bronchus or lung | Common primary diagnosis for ordering comprehensive genomic profiling to identify actionable alterations in lung cancer |
C78.01 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of right lung | Indicates metastatic disease where ctDNA testing may guide targeted therapy selection |
C79.9 | Secondary malignant neoplasm, unspecified | Used when metastasis site is not specified; ctDNA testing helps characterize tumor genomics in metastatic cancer |
C80.1 | Malignant (primary) neoplasm, unspecified (primary) | Applied when a malignancy is confirmed but primary site details are limited; broad molecular profiling supports therapy decisions |
Z85.118 | Personal history of malignant neoplasm of other respiratory organs (lung) | History of lung cancer when monitoring for recurrence or progression using liquid biopsy |
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |
|---|---|---|
36415 | Collection of venous blood by venipuncture | Blood draw required to obtain the plasma specimen for the cfDNA assay prior to 0239U testing |
88199 | Unlisted cytopathology procedure | Occasionally used for ancillary reporting when a specific CPT for a unique lab process is not available (billing practices vary) |
0000U | Placeholder PLA example code | Other proprietary molecular assays that may be ordered alternatively or sequentially to 0239U (illustrative of parallel testing strategies) |
99000 | Handling and/or conveyance of specimen | Facility-specific specimen handling charges that may accompany sending samples to a reference laboratory |