Summary & Overview
CPT 0293U: MindX Blood Test – Suicidality, RNA NGS Gene Expression Risk Score
CPT code 0293U designates a proprietary laboratory test, the MindX Blood Test™ – Suicidality, that uses RNA next-generation sequencing of 54 genes plus an algorithm to produce a predictive risk score for suicidal ideation. As a PLA code, 0293U is specific to a single manufacturer's test and signals novel, proprietary clinical laboratory technology entering clinical workflows. Nationally, such codes matter because they allow distinct tracking, billing, and policy consideration for unique assays that may inform behavioral health risk assessment and care pathways.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the test purpose and methods, an overview of typical sites of service and service type, and the payer coverage landscape addressed at a national level. The publication also summarizes common billing modifiers used with laboratory services and highlights areas where policy updates or coverage determinations for proprietary genomic assays can affect access and reporting.
The piece provides clinicians, coding professionals, and policy stakeholders with clear context about what 0293U represents, why proprietary laboratory codes are treated distinctly, and what to expect when encountering this code in claims or policy documentation.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0293U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code that applies exclusively to the MindX Blood Test™ – Suicidality, performed by MindX Sciences™ Laboratory from MindX Sciences™ Inc. The test uses a blood specimen and employs next-generation sequencing (NGS) of RNA to evaluate gene expression activity for 54 genes, then applies an algorithmic analysis to generate a predictive risk score for propensity for suicidal ideation.
Service type: Laboratory — Proprietary genomic RNA expression test with algorithmic risk scoring
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or reference laboratory setting
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 28-year-old adult with a recent history of major depressive disorder presents to an outpatient psychiatric clinic after a recent increase in suicidal ideation reported during follow-up. The treating psychiatrist orders the MindX Blood Test™ – Suicidality (0293U) to assist with objective risk stratification. A phlebotomy appointment is scheduled at the clinic’s laboratory draw station. A single whole blood specimen is collected in the morning and sent with the required chain-of-custody and shipping conditions to MindX Sciences™ Laboratory. The laboratory performs next-generation RNA sequencing of 54 genes and applies the proprietary algorithm to produce a predictive risk score for propensity for suicidal ideation. Results are uploaded to the electronic health record and reviewed by the psychiatrist during a follow-up visit to inform clinical monitoring intensity and safety planning. Typical sites of service include outpatient psychiatric clinics, behavioral health centers, and commercial reference laboratories. The service type is a proprietary laboratory analysis (PLA) using blood specimen NGS-based gene expression profiling.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Standard reporting of the PLA when no special circumstances apply |