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CPT 86382: Viral Neutralization Antibody Test
CPT code 86382 denotes a laboratory neutralization test used to quantify functional viral antibody levels in patient serum. Nationally, this code matters for infectious disease diagnosis, post-vaccination immunity assessment, and epidemiologic surveillance because neutralization assays provide clinically meaningful measures of protective immunity beyond standard antibody presence. Coverage and payment policies for this specialized serologic service vary across major payers and Medicare, affecting laboratory workflows and patient access to confirmatory testing.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of payer coverage patterns, typical sites of service and clinical contexts where neutralization testing is ordered, and benchmarking of where this service fits within laboratory and infectious disease service lines. The publication summarizes policy updates that influence laboratory coding and billing, highlights clinical scenarios that commonly prompt 86382 testing, and outlines how this test is reported operationally in laboratory settings.
This resource is intended to inform laboratory administrators, billing personnel, and clinical teams about the clinical role and payer landscape associated with CPT code 86382, and to provide a clear, national-level reference on use and reporting of viral neutralization antibody testing.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 86382 describes a laboratory neutralization test performed by a lab analyst to determine the level of viral antibodies in a patient’s blood. This test assesses functional antibody activity by measuring the ability of patient serum to neutralize a virus, providing information on immune response or prior exposure.
Service type: Laboratory diagnostic serology test
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory