Summary & Overview
CPT 85041: Automated Slide Red Blood Cell Count
CPT code 85041 represents an automated slide-based red blood cell (RBC) count performed by a laboratory analyst. This laboratory diagnostic procedure quantifies erythrocytes using microscopy combined with automated counting technology, and it is commonly ordered as part of hematologic evaluation and complete blood count workflows. Nationally, accurate coding for this service affects laboratory billing, aggregation of hematology utilization metrics, and alignment with clinical laboratory service reporting.
Key payers included in the analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication covers payer coverage patterns, common modifiers associated with laboratory services, clinical context for when an automated slide RBC count is used, and how this service integrates into laboratory workflows.
Readers will learn the clinical purpose of CPT code 85041, typical sites of service, common billing considerations, and where to find related laboratory codes. The report also highlights benchmarking elements such as typical service utilization and payer coverage scope where available. Data not available in the input are explicitly noted; the focus remains on providing a concise national-level description and operational context for laboratories, billing teams, and policy analysts.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 85041 describes a laboratory procedure in which a lab analyst examines a patient’s blood smear on a slide and uses an automated system to determine the number of red blood cells present. This procedure is a red blood cell (RBC) count performed via slide analysis with automated assistance, typically used to assess erythrocyte quantity as part of a complete blood count or targeted hematologic evaluation.
Service Type: Laboratory diagnostic service — automated slide-based RBC count
Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 45-year-old outpatient who presents for routine laboratory evaluation or for symptoms such as fatigue, pallor, lightheadedness, or follow-up of a chronic hematologic condition. A phlebotomist collects a peripheral blood specimen into an EDTA tube; the specimen is sent to the clinical laboratory. A medical laboratory scientist (MLS) or technologist prepares a peripheral blood smear on a glass slide. Using an automated hematology analyzer with a microscopy or image analysis component, the analyst performs a red blood cell (RBC) count by automated methods and may review the slide for morphology. Results are entered into the laboratory information system and reported to the ordering provider. Typical sites of service include hospital outpatient laboratories, independent clinical laboratories, and ambulatory surgery centers performing preoperative testing.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when only the professional component (interpretation/reporting) of the lab service is billed separately from the technical component. |
TC | Technical component | Use when only the technical component (equipment, technician, processing) is billed. |