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CPT 0479U: ALZpath pTau217 Blood Biomarker Test

CPT code 0479U designates a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) test for ALZpath pTau217, a blood assay that quantifies phosphorylated tau protein as a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease. As a PLA code, 0479U applies only to the specific test produced by Neurocode USA Inc. and Quanterix/ALZpath, and it standardizes reporting for a single proprietary assay. Nationally, blood-based pTau217 testing is notable for its potential to expand access to Alzheimer’s biomarker assessment outside specialized centers and to influence diagnostic pathways and care planning.

Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of payer coverage posture, common clinical contexts for test utilization, and how the PLA designation affects coding clarity. The publication also summarizes available benchmark considerations, common modifiers used with laboratory billing, and the clinical relevance of pTau217 measurement for Alzheimer’s disease evaluation.

The piece is intended to inform billing staff, laboratory directors, and policy analysts about the code’s scope, service setting, and the implications of a single-manufacturer PLA code on billing consistency and payer communications.

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Billing Code Overview

CPT code 0479U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code assigned specifically for the ALZpath pTau217 blood test developed by Neurocode USA Inc. and Quanterix/ALZpath. The test measures levels of phosphorylated tau protein (pTau217) in blood, a biomarker used in the evaluation of Alzheimer’s disease pathology.

Service type: Proprietary laboratory blood biomarker test

Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or reference laboratory; specimen collection typically occurs in outpatient phlebotomy or clinic settings.

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CPT 0479U: ALZpath pTau217 Blood Biomarker Test

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Get alerted when payer policies referencing 0479U are released or updated.

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Billing Code Overview

Service type: Proprietary laboratory blood biomarker test

Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or reference laboratory; specimen collection typically occurs in outpatient phlebotomy or clinic settings.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is an older adult referred by a neurologist or memory clinic for blood-based biomarker testing to assist in the evaluation of cognitive decline and suspected Alzheimer’s disease. The patient presents with progressive short-term memory loss, difficulty with complex tasks, and a clinical exam suggesting mild cognitive impairment or early dementia. The clinician orders the proprietary plasma phosphorylated tau 217 assay (0479U - ALZpath pTau217) as part of a diagnostic workup.

The clinical workflow: the patient undergoes venipuncture in an outpatient infusion center, physician office, or hospital outpatient laboratory. A serum or plasma sample is collected, processed per the manufacturer's instructions, and shipped to the performing laboratory (Neurocode USA Inc. or Quanterix/ALZpath) with chain-of-custody and required documentation. The laboratory performs the proprietary assay and returns a quantitative pTau217 result with interpretive guidance. The ordering clinician integrates the pTau217 level with clinical assessment, neuropsychological testing, neuroimaging (when available), and other biomarkers to inform diagnosis and counseling. Billing for the proprietary laboratory analysis is reported using 0479U with applicable place-of-service and payer requirements observed.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	Use when billing only the physician or professional interpretation component if separated from the technical component.
`TC`	Technical component	Use when billing only the laboratory/technical component of the test.
`QK`	Skilled non-physician anesthetist enabled by CRNA certification	Not typically used for this lab test; excluded except in rare anesthesia-related billing contexts.
`QX`	CRNA service: with medical direction by physician	Not typically applicable to this lab test; listed among available modifiers but rarely used.
`QY`	Medical direction of one certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) by an anesthesiologist	Not applicable to this laboratory test but included in modifier list.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use only if two surgeons are billing for a procedure unrelated to this test; generally not applicable.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the laboratory or provider delivers reduced service relative to standard testing (rare for standardized PLA).
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use if specimen collection or testing was begun but discontinued for acceptable clinical reasons.
`78`	Return to operating/procedure room for a related procedure following initial procedure	Not applicable to this lab test except in complex procedural episodes.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	Not applicable to this lab test; included in the list but rarely used for lab billing.
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when substantial additional work beyond the typical test is documented and meets payer requirements for payment consideration.
`23`	Unusual anesthesia	Not applicable to this lab test; listed among possible modifiers but seldom used.
`AS`	Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery	Not applicable to this laboratory test.
`QY`	(Duplicate in list) Medical direction of CRNA	See above; not applicable to this lab test.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2084P0800X	Neurology	Neurologists commonly order Alzheimer’s biomarker testing as part of cognitive disorder evaluation.
207RC0000X	Clinical Pathology	Pathologists and laboratory directors oversee specimen processing and result validation for proprietary assays.
331K00000X	Geriatric Medicine	Geriatricians frequently manage older adults with cognitive impairment and order blood-based biomarkers.
363L00000X	Neuropsychology	Neuropsychologists collaborate on cognitive assessment and may coordinate biomarker testing as part of diagnostic workup.
246QF0200X	Family Medicine	Primary care and family medicine physicians often initiate screening and referrals and may order the test.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`G30.9`	Alzheimer disease, unspecified	Primary diagnosis when pTau217 testing is used to support a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.
`G31.84`	Mild cognitive impairment, so stated	Common indication for biomarker testing to determine risk of progression to Alzheimer disease.
`F02.80`	Dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere without behavioral disturbance	Used when dementia is part of another systemic disease and biomarker testing is performed for characterization.
`R41.3`	Other amnesia	Cognitive symptom prompting evaluation with biomarkers including pTau217.
`R41.81`	Age-related cognitive decline	Often used in evaluations of older adults where biomarker testing helps clarify etiology.
`F03.90`	Unspecified dementia without behavioral disturbance	General dementia diagnosis where pTau217 can contribute to etiologic assessment.
`F06.7`	Mild cognitive disorder due to known physiological condition	Applied when cognitive impairment is suspected secondary to a medical condition and biomarkers assist in differential diagnosis.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`81025`	Urinalysis; non-automated, with microscopy	Ancillary laboratory test that may be ordered during the same visit for general medical assessment.
`36415`	Collection of venous blood by venipuncture	Commonly performed immediately prior to `0479U` to obtain the specimen for the proprietary pTau217 assay.
`85025`	Blood count; automated CBC with differential	Routine laboratory panel often obtained concurrently for baseline evaluation in older adults undergoing diagnostic workup.
`80053`	Comprehensive metabolic panel	Frequently ordered alongside specialized biomarker testing to assess metabolic contributors to cognitive change.
`81161`	Amyloid beta 1-42/1-40 ratio, plasma or CSF (when available)	Other AD-related biomarker tests that may be performed alongside or sequentially with pTau217 for differential diagnosis.
`0308U`	Plasma pTau181 assay (example proprietary PLA)	Another proprietary phospho-tau assay that may be used in parallel or as an alternative biomarker test; complements interpretation of `0479U`.

CPT 0001U: PreciseType HEA Multiplex Erythrocyte Antigen Assay

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

CPT 0002U: Urine Metabolomic Polyp Risk Assay (PolypDX™)

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

CPT 0003U: Overa™ (OVA1 Next Generation) Ovarian Cancer Risk Assay

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

CPT 0005U: ExosomeDx Prostate (IntelliScore) Urine Gene Expression Risk 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 Panel, Gene Sequence Analysis

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: Cordant CORE™ 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 Transcript Testing

Showing 1–10 of 536

Frequently Asked Questions

References

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.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.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.

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	Use when billing only the physician or professional interpretation component if separated from the technical component.
`TC`	Technical component	Use when billing only the laboratory/technical component of the test.
`QK`	Skilled non-physician anesthetist enabled by CRNA certification	Not typically used for this lab test; excluded except in rare anesthesia-related billing contexts.
`QX`	CRNA service: with medical direction by physician	Not typically applicable to this lab test; listed among available modifiers but rarely used.
`QY`	Medical direction of one certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) by an anesthesiologist	Not applicable to this laboratory test but included in modifier list.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use only if two surgeons are billing for a procedure unrelated to this test; generally not applicable.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the laboratory or provider delivers reduced service relative to standard testing (rare for standardized PLA).
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use if specimen collection or testing was begun but discontinued for acceptable clinical reasons.
`78`	Return to operating/procedure room for a related procedure following initial procedure	Not applicable to this lab test except in complex procedural episodes.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	Not applicable to this lab test; included in the list but rarely used for lab billing.
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when substantial additional work beyond the typical test is documented and meets payer requirements for payment consideration.
`23`	Unusual anesthesia	Not applicable to this lab test; listed among possible modifiers but seldom used.
`AS`	Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery	Not applicable to this laboratory test.
`QY`	(Duplicate in list) Medical direction of CRNA	See above; not applicable to this lab test.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2084P0800X	Neurology	Neurologists commonly order Alzheimer’s biomarker testing as part of cognitive disorder evaluation.
207RC0000X	Clinical Pathology	Pathologists and laboratory directors oversee specimen processing and result validation for proprietary assays.
331K00000X	Geriatric Medicine	Geriatricians frequently manage older adults with cognitive impairment and order blood-based biomarkers.
363L00000X	Neuropsychology	Neuropsychologists collaborate on cognitive assessment and may coordinate biomarker testing as part of diagnostic workup.
246QF0200X	Family Medicine	Primary care and family medicine physicians often initiate screening and referrals and may order the test.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`G30.9`	Alzheimer disease, unspecified	Primary diagnosis when pTau217 testing is used to support a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.
`G31.84`	Mild cognitive impairment, so stated	Common indication for biomarker testing to determine risk of progression to Alzheimer disease.
`F02.80`	Dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere without behavioral disturbance	Used when dementia is part of another systemic disease and biomarker testing is performed for characterization.
`R41.3`	Other amnesia	Cognitive symptom prompting evaluation with biomarkers including pTau217.
`R41.81`	Age-related cognitive decline	Often used in evaluations of older adults where biomarker testing helps clarify etiology.
`F03.90`	Unspecified dementia without behavioral disturbance	General dementia diagnosis where pTau217 can contribute to etiologic assessment.
`F06.7`	Mild cognitive disorder due to known physiological condition	Applied when cognitive impairment is suspected secondary to a medical condition and biomarkers assist in differential diagnosis.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`81025`	Urinalysis; non-automated, with microscopy	Ancillary laboratory test that may be ordered during the same visit for general medical assessment.
`36415`	Collection of venous blood by venipuncture	Commonly performed immediately prior to `0479U` to obtain the specimen for the proprietary pTau217 assay.
`85025`	Blood count; automated CBC with differential	Routine laboratory panel often obtained concurrently for baseline evaluation in older adults undergoing diagnostic workup.
`80053`	Comprehensive metabolic panel	Frequently ordered alongside specialized biomarker testing to assess metabolic contributors to cognitive change.
`81161`	Amyloid beta 1-42/1-40 ratio, plasma or CSF (when available)	Other AD-related biomarker tests that may be performed alongside or sequentially with pTau217 for differential diagnosis.
`0308U`	Plasma pTau181 assay (example proprietary PLA)	Another proprietary phospho-tau assay that may be used in parallel or as an alternative biomarker test; complements interpretation of `0479U`.

CPT 0001U: PreciseType HEA Multiplex Erythrocyte Antigen Assay

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

CPT 0002U: Urine Metabolomic Polyp Risk Assay (PolypDX™)

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

CPT 0003U: Overa™ (OVA1 Next Generation) Ovarian Cancer Risk Assay

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

CPT 0005U: ExosomeDx Prostate (IntelliScore) Urine Gene Expression Risk 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 Panel, Gene Sequence Analysis

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: Cordant CORE™ 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 Transcript Testing

Showing 1–10 of 536

Frequently Asked Questions

References

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.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.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.

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CPT 0479U: ALZpath pTau217 Blood Biomarker Test

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Billing Code Overview

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CPT 0479U: ALZpath pTau217 Blood Biomarker Test

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Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References

CPT 0479U: ALZpath pTau217 Blood Biomarker Test

Sign up for cpt 0479U policy alerts

Billing Code Overview

CPT 0479U: ALZpath pTau217 Blood Biomarker Test

Sign up for cpt 0479U policy alerts

Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What does CPT code 0479U represent and who produces the test?

Where and how is the ALZpath pTau217 (0479U) specimen collected and processed?

For which clinical scenarios or diagnoses is 0479U typically ordered?

Which CPT modifiers are commonly used or relevant when billing 0479U?

Which payers are referenced for 0479U and does the page provide coverage or reimbursement rates?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What does CPT code 0479U represent and who produces the test?

Where and how is the ALZpath pTau217 (0479U) specimen collected and processed?

For which clinical scenarios or diagnoses is 0479U typically ordered?

Which CPT modifiers are commonly used or relevant when billing 0479U?

Which payers are referenced for 0479U and does the page provide coverage or reimbursement rates?

References