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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesQualitative or Semiquantitative ImmunoassaysCPT cpt-86078-transfusion-reaction-investigation-blood-bank-physician-report
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    CPT 86078: Transfusion Reaction Investigation and Written Report

    Medicare pays $53 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 86078 describes a blood bank physician’s investigation of a suspected transfusion reaction, including evaluation for possible disease transmission, interpretation of laboratory results, and preparation of a written report; service type: diagnostic transfusion reaction investigation and consultation; typical site of service: hospital blood bank or transfusion service laboratory with physician review and documentation provided in hospital or reference laboratory settings.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Diagnosis of Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance, Allergen Testing, Allergen Testing.

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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A hospitalized adult patient develops fever, hypotension, and urticaria within hours of receiving a unit of packed red blood cells. The bedside team suspends the transfusion and notifies the blood bank. The blood bank performs immediate clerical and serologic workup: verifies patient and donor identification, inspects the residual blood unit, performs a direct antiglobulin test, repeats ABO/Rh typing, screens for new alloantibodies, and cultures the unit if bacterial contamination is suspected. The blood bank physician reviews and interprets all results, documents the probable etiology (for example, acute hemolytic transfusion reaction, febrile nonhemolytic reaction, allergic reaction, or suspected transfusion-transmitted bacterial infection), completes a written report, and advises on donor unit quarantine and notification of public health if indicated. Typical workflow includes order entry by the clinical team, specimen collection and urgent laboratory testing, physician-level interpretation and report generation, and communication of findings to the treating clinicians and transfusion services. Typical site of service is an inpatient hospital blood bank or transfusion medicine laboratory; service type is physician professional component for transfusion reaction investigation and reporting.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    36430Transfusion, blood or blood components; therapeutic apheresis procedures (peripheral)Performed when a patient requires removal of offending blood components for treatment of severe reactions
    87070Culture, bacteria; blood, aerobic and anaerobicUsed when bacterial contamination of a transfused unit or bacteremia in the recipient is suspected; often performed alongside the investigation
    86900Blood typing; ABOPerformed to verify patient/donor ABO grouping during investigation of suspected hemolytic transfusion reaction
    86901Rh typing (D)Performed to verify Rh(D) status when an acute hemolytic reaction is suspected
    86850Antibody screen, RBC (indirect antiglobulin test)Used to detect new alloantibodies that may explain hemolytic reactions; commonly part of the workup
    86860Antibody identification, RBCPerformed when the antibody screen is positive to identify the specific antibody implicated in the reaction

    Related Modifiers

    10 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
    80CPT® Modifier 80 (Assistant Surgeon) is appended to a surgical CPT code when a physician (MD or DO) provides full, continuous assistance throughout the operative procedure. It is intended only for…- Use CPT Modifier -80 when a physician (MD or DO) serves as an assistant surgeon and provides full, continuous assistance throughout the entire operative procedure; append -80 to the surgical CPT…
    90Modifier ‑90 (Reference/Outside Laboratory) indicates that a laboratory test was performed by an entity other than the treating or reporting provider. The American Medical Association defines…- Use CPT modifier -90 when a laboratory test is performed by an outside/reference laboratory (an entity other than the treating or reporting physician or qualified professional) and the claim needs…
    91Modifier 91 — “Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test” — is appended when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once for the same patient on the same day because serial,…- Use modifier 91 when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once on the same patient on the same date because serial or repeated testing is medically necessary to monitor…
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    27Modifier 27 indicates a separate, subsequent outpatient hospital E/M service provided to the same patient on the same date by a different provider in a hospital outpatient setting. It is a…- Use modifier -27 on facility (hospital outpatient/ambulatory service center) claims to report a subsequent, separate, and distinct outpatient E/M service provided to the same patient on the same…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy CodeSpecialtyNotes
    207L00000XAnesthesiology PhysicianAn anesthesiologist is trained to provide pain relief and maintenance, or restoration, of a stable condition during and immediately following an opera…
    2084P0800XPsychiatry PhysicianA Psychiatrist specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders, emotional disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, …
    207R00000XInternal Medicine PhysicianA physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and the hospital, managing both common and complex illness of adolescents, adults…
    363LA2200XAdult Health Nurse PractitionerPhysician Assistants & Advanced Practice Nursing Providers · Nurse Practitioner
    207RP1001XPulmonary Disease PhysicianAn internist who treats diseases of the lungs and airways. The pulmonologist diagnoses and treats cancer, pneumonia, pleurisy, asthma, occupational an…
    1223P0700XProsthodonticsThat branch of dentistry pertaining to the restoration and maintenance of oral functions, comfort, appearance and health of the patient by the restora…
    207XS0117XOrthopaedic Surgery of the Spine PhysicianRecognized by several state medical boards as a fellowship subspecialty program of orthopaedic surgery, orthopaedic surgeons of the spine deal with th…
    101YP1600XPastoral CounselorBehavioral Health & Social Service Providers · Counselor

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    23 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A41.9Sepsis, unspecified organism
    B19.20Unspecified viral hepatitis C without hepatic coma
    D50.0Iron deficiency anemia secondary to blood loss (chronic)
    D56.1Beta thalassemia
    D57.819Other sickle-cell disorders with crisis, unspecified
    D62Acute posthemorrhagic anemia
    D65Disseminated intravascular coagulation [defibrination syndrome]
    D66Hereditary factor VIII deficiency
    D68.9Coagulation defect, unspecified
    D69.6Thrombocytopenia, unspecified

    Showing 1–10 of 23

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Allergy/Clinical Immunology1 / 3

    9 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Diagnosis of Idiopathic Environmental IntoleranceOscar Health2026-10-01
    Allergen Testingblue cross blue shield - louisiana2026-09-15
    Allergen TestingBlue Cross Blue Shield - New Mexico2026-09-04
    Hereditary Angioedema - EkterlyCigna2026-08-15
    Omalizumab products (Xolair, Omlyclo) coveragePremera Bluecross2026-08-01
    Omalizumab Products (Xolair, Omlyclo) coveragePremera Bluecross2026-08-01
    Omalizumab ProductsPremera Bluecross2026-08-01
    Allergy Testinguniverahealthcare2026-07-16
    Omalizumab (Xolair) and related biologics coverageMass General Brigham Health Plan2026-07-01

    Related Codes

    86803-QUALITATIVE-OR-SEMIQUANTITATIVE-IMMUNOASSAYS-HEPATITIS-C

    CPT 86803: Hepatitis C Antibody Immunoassay in Serum

    CPT-86000-FEBRILE-AGGLUTININS-SEROLOGIC-TEST

    CPT 86000: Febrile Agglutinins (Serologic Agglutination) Test

    CPT-86001-ALLERGEN-SPECIFIC-IGG-LABORATORY-TEST

    CPT 86001: Allergen-Specific IgG Assay, Technical Component

    CPT-86003-ALLERGEN-SPECIFIC-IGE-ASSAY-TECHNICAL

    CPT 86003: Allergen‑Specific IgE Assay Using Crude Allergen Extract

    CPT-86005-MULTI-ALLERGEN-IGE-SCREENING-QUALITATIVE

    CPT 86005: Multi-Allergen Allergen-Specific IgE Screening

    CPT-86008-ALLERGEN-COMPONENT-SPECIFIC-IGE-ASSAY

    CPT 86008: Allergen Component–Specific IgE Assay

    CPT-86015-ANTI-ACTIN-SMOOTH-MUSCLE-ANTIBODY-ASMA

    CPT 86015: Actin (Smooth Muscle) Antibody (ASMA) Immunoassay

    CPT-86021-LEUKOCYTE-ANTIBODY-IDENTIFICATION-LAB-TECHNICAL

    CPT 86021: Leukocyte Antibody Identification Laboratory Test

    CPT-86022-PLATELET-ANTIBODY-IDENTIFICATION-TECHNICAL-TEST

    CPT 86022: Platelet Antibody Detection and Identification

    CPT-86023-PLATELET-ASSOCIATED-IMMUNOGLOBULIN-DETECTION

    CPT 86023: Platelet-Associated Immunoglobulin Assay

    Showing 1–10 of 199

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 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. 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. 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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