Summary & Overview
CPT 85362: Slide Agglutination Test for Fibrinogen Breakdown
CPT code 85362 denotes a slide agglutination laboratory test performed on patient plasma to evaluate fibrinogen breakdown products. This specimen-based diagnostic assay plays a role in the assessment of fibrinolysis and related bleeding or thrombotic disorders. Nationally, laboratory codes such as 85362 matter for clinical decision support, inpatient and outpatient laboratory billing, and diagnostic pathways where rapid identification of fibrinogen degradation is clinically relevant.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise review of the code’s clinical context, typical sites of service, and how the test is positioned within laboratory workflows. The publication also outlines typical payer coverage considerations and the common modifiers used alongside this CPT code. Where available, benchmarks and policy notes highlight reimbursement and billing practice patterns relevant to diagnostic laboratory services.
This summary is intended to inform clinical administrators, laboratory directors, and billing professionals about the purpose and placement of CPT code 85362 in diagnostic testing workflows, and to provide a national-level reference on payer coverage and policy context. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 85362 describes a lab procedure in which a laboratory analyst performs a slide agglutination test using patient plasma to evaluate breakdown products of fibrinogen. This test is a laboratory diagnostic assay performed on patient plasma to assess fibrinogen degradation and related hemostatic processes.
Service Type
- Laboratory diagnostic test
Typical Site of Service
- Clinical laboratory
- Hospital laboratory
- Reference or specialty laboratory
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 62-year-old inpatient with recent major orthopedic surgery develops progressive swelling and unexplained oozing from the surgical site with a prolonged bleeding time on routine labs. The primary team orders coagulation studies to evaluate fibrinolysis and fibrinogen degradation. A phlebotomy draws blood into appropriate anticoagulant tubes; the lab centrifuges plasma and the laboratory analyst performs a slide agglutination test using the patients plasma to detect fibrinogen breakdown products. Results are reported to the ordering clinician and incorporated into the assessment for disseminated intravascular coagulation, hyperfibrinolysis, or thrombolytic therapy monitoring. Typical site of service is a hospital clinical laboratory or an outpatient hospital-based lab when monitoring coagulopathy. The service type is laboratory diagnostic testing performed by a certified medical technologist or clinical laboratory scientist in a clinical chemistry/coagulation laboratory.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when billing only the professional interpretation component separate from the technical lab work, if applicable and reportable. |
59 | Distinct procedural service |