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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesQualitative or Semiquantitative ImmunoassaysCPT cpt-86079-blood-bank-authorization-for-deviation
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    CPT 86079: Blood Bank Physician Deviation Authorization

    Medicare pays $53 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 86079 describes a service where a blood bank physician documents and authorizes a deviation from standard blood banking procedures for a specific patient, such as permitting use of outdated blood or transfusing Rh-incompatible units; the service is a physician-level blood bank authorization with a written report and is typically provided as a consultative/authorization service in hospital blood bank or transfusion service settings.

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

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A hospitalized 68-year-old male with acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage requires packed red blood cell transfusion. The transfusion service identifies that compatible, fully crossmatched units are not available due to an uncommon alloantibody; an available unit is antigen-positive but is the only immediately accessible unit for life‑saving transfusion. The blood bank physician reviews the case, authorizes deviation from standard crossmatch protocols to allow transfusion of the best-available unit, documents the clinical rationale, expected risks, and alternatives, and provides a written report to the medical record. The workflow includes clinician request to transfusion service, review of patient history and laboratory testing (type and screen, antibody identification), consultation between the ordering team and the blood bank physician, documented authorization for the deviation, issuance of the unit, and post‑transfusion monitoring and reporting of any adverse events.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    36430Transfusion of blood or blood components (separate procedure), intravenous; push technique, per unitRepresents the actual administration of blood components that may follow authorization under 86079.
    86900Blood typing; ABO and Rh(D) (include Rh immediate spin)Pre‑transfusion testing commonly performed prior to any authorization for deviation.
    86901Antibody screen, RBC (eg, indirect antiglobulin), each patient specimenUsed to detect alloantibodies that may necessitate deviation from standard protocols.
    86985Crossmatch; electronic (no antiglobulin)Crossmatching performed when standard compatibility testing is possible; documentation may contrast with deviation authorized by 86079.
    86900(duplicate entry avoided)Data not duplicated.

    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…
    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…
    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…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    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…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    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…
    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…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy CodeSpecialtyNotes
    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…
    208000000XPediatrics PhysicianA pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. Care encompasses a broad spectru…
    3416L0300XLand AmbulanceTransportation Services · Ambulance
    2085H0002XHospice and Palliative Medicine (Radiology) PhysicianA radiologist with special knowledge and skills to prevent and relieve the suffering experienced by patients with life-limiting illnesses. This specia…
    291U00000XClinical Medical Laboratory(1) A clinical laboratory is a facility for the biological, microbiological, serological, chemical, immunohematological, hematological, biophysical, c…
    207ZC0006XClinical Pathology PhysicianA pathologist deals with the causes and nature of disease and contributes to diagnosis, prognosis and treatment through knowledge gained by the labora…
    253J00000XFoster Care AgencyA Foster Care Agency is an agency that provides foster care as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as "24-hour substitute care for childr…
    2084P0802XAddiction Psychiatry PhysicianAddiction Psychiatry is a subspecialty of psychiatry that focuses on evaluation and treatment of individuals with alcohol, drug, or other substance-re…

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Allergy/Clinical Immunology1 / 3

    10 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
    Xolair (omalizumab) (Subcutaneous) — Concomitant therapy restrictions and dosing guidanceeocco2026-07-01

    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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