Summary & Overview
CPT 0271U: Congenital Neutropenia Panel, 24-gene NGS
CPT code 0271U identifies the Versiti™ Congenital Neutropenia Panel, a proprietary next–generation sequencing (NGS) test analyzing 24 genes linked to congenital neutropenia. As a PLA code, it applies only to the specific test from Versiti™ Diagnostic Laboratories and signals a targeted genetic diagnostic service that can influence clinical decision-making for symptomatic patients and familial risk assessment. Nationally, proprietary genetic test codes are important for claims processing, payer policy development, and transparency around lab-specific services.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context for congenital neutropenia testing, the service setting and specimen types, and what to expect in terms of code specificity due to the PLA designation. The publication also outlines typical payer considerations, common modifiers associated with molecular laboratory services, and where to look for policy updates affecting coverage and billing for single-source laboratory tests. This summary equips billing managers, lab directors, and policy analysts with the foundational information needed to interpret the code’s role in national billing and reimbursement workflows.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0271U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code for the Versiti™ Congenital Neutropenia Panel performed by Versiti™ Diagnostic Laboratories. The test uses next–generation sequencing (NGS) of 24 genes associated with congenital neutropenia and may aid clinicians in diagnosing symptomatic patients or evaluating familial risk for inherited conditions.
-
Service type: Molecular genetic diagnostic testing using NGS for a targeted multigene panel
-
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory setting; specimens accepted include blood, buccal swab, or amniotic fluid
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A pediatric or adult patient presents with chronic or recurrent neutropenia, severe bacterial infections, delayed wound healing, or a family history suspicious for inherited neutropenia. The ordering clinician (pediatric hematologist, clinical geneticist, or hematopathologist) documents recurrent low absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) on serial complete blood counts and requests genetic testing to identify pathogenic variants associated with congenital neutropenia. A peripheral blood specimen is collected (or buccal swab / amniotic fluid when indicated for prenatal or familial testing) and sent to Versiti™ Diagnostic Laboratories. The laboratory performs next-generation sequencing (NGS) of a 24-gene panel targeting genes implicated in congenital neutropenia. Results are returned with variant classifications (pathogenic, likely pathogenic, VUS, benign) and interpreted in the context of the clinical phenotype to aid diagnosis, inform prognosis, guide therapy (for example, G-CSF responsiveness), and support familial risk assessment and cascade testing. Typical sites of service include outpatient specialty clinics, hospital outpatient infusion centers, genetics clinics, and hospital inpatient wards when testing is performed for diagnostic clarification during hospitalization.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Standard reporting when no separate modifier applies |