Summary & Overview
CPT 0292U: MindX Blood Test – Stress, RNA NGS PTSD Risk Score
CPT code 0292U designates a proprietary laboratory test — the MindX Blood Test™ – Stress from MindX Sciences™ Inc. — that uses RNA next-generation sequencing of 72 genes and an algorithmic analysis to generate a predictive risk score for post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a PLA code, 0292U is specific to a single manufacturer's test, which affects how payers and laboratories manage coverage, coding, and claim adjudication nationally.
Key payers addressed in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical purpose of the test, the laboratory service model and typical site of service, and the implications of PLA designation. The publication summarizes payer coverage patterns and benchmarks, common claim modifiers relevant to laboratory services, and the clinical context surrounding molecular RNA expression testing for PTSD risk prediction.
This report is intended to inform healthcare administrators, coding professionals, and policymakers about how CPT code 0292U is defined, the service it represents, and the operational considerations for billing and coverage at a national level.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0292U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code that applies exclusively to the MindX Blood Test™ – Stress, performed by MindX Sciences™ Laboratory, MindX Sciences™ Inc. The test uses a blood specimen and employs next-generation sequencing (NGS) of RNA to evaluate gene expression activity for 72 genes. An algorithmic analysis of those gene-expression results produces a predictive risk score for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Service Type: Clinical laboratory diagnostic test using RNA NGS and algorithmic risk scoring.
Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory or reference laboratory with specimen collection occurring in an outpatient blood draw setting.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult who has experienced a traumatic event (combat exposure, assault, major accident, or disaster) and presents to a primary care clinician, behavioral health provider, or occupational health clinic requesting objective risk stratification for post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The clinician documents the history of trauma and baseline symptoms, obtains informed consent for genetic/transcriptomic testing, and orders the MindX Blood Test™ – Stress (0292U) to assist in predictive risk assessment for PTSD. A phlebotomy encounter occurs in an outpatient clinic, hospital outpatient laboratory, or commercial/stand‑alone draw site; a blood specimen is collected, processed, and shipped to MindX Sciences™ Laboratory. The laboratory performs next‑generation RNA sequencing of 72 genes and applies an algorithm to generate a predictive PTSD risk score. Results are returned to the ordering clinician and incorporated into longitudinal care planning, behavioral health referral, or occupational health decisions. Typical sites of service include outpatient physician offices, outpatient hospital departments, and independent diagnostic laboratories operating couriered specimen logistics.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Unspecified — default | Use when no other modifier applies and a single service instance is reported. |