CPT code 47100 represents an excisional liver biopsy, a surgical diagnostic procedure in which a wedge-shaped portion of liver tissue is removed with a needle or surgical knife. The procedure is used to establish or confirm diagnoses of liver disease, stage disease severity, and monitor treatment response. Because liver biopsies can influence major clinical decisions—such as initiating or changing therapy for hepatitis, fibrosis, or other parenchymal liver disorders—accurate coding and documentation are important for clinical care and claims processing nationwide.

Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical indications and typical settings for the service, along with benchmarking context, common modifiers used in practice, and guidance on documentation elements that support medical necessity. The publication highlights national-level considerations for coding and billing workflows, including where the procedure is commonly performed (operating room or procedure suite, inpatient or outpatient) and why clear operative and pathology documentation matters for claim adjudication.

This summary is intended to orient clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts to the clinical role of CPT code 47100, the payer landscape addressed, and the types of benchmarks and policy-relevant details covered in the full publication. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable in subsequent sections.