Summary & Overview

CPT 86622: Brucella Antibody Immunoassay

CPT code 86622 represents a laboratory immunoassay to detect antibodies to Brucella bacteria in a patient’s blood. Nationally, serologic testing for Brucella is an important diagnostic tool for suspected brucellosis, a zoonotic infection with potential public health implications. The code identifies the laboratory analytic procedure rather than clinical management or imaging, and it is used across clinical and hospital laboratory settings.

Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the code’s clinical purpose and service context, typical sites of service, and which major payers commonly reimburse this laboratory service. The publication also outlines where benchmarks and policy updates would apply and highlights clinical context for ordering clinicians and laboratory administrators.

This summary addresses national considerations for coding and coverage of Brucella antibody immunoassays, noting data limitations where specific payer policies or utilization benchmarks are not provided. The section that follows provides a detailed billing code overview and operational context for CPT code 86622.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare86622CPTBrucella antibodyserologylaboratory testimmunoassayinfectious diseasediagnostic testingclinical laboratory

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 86622 describes an immunoassay performed by a laboratory analyst to detect antibodies to Brucella bacteria in a patient's blood. This test is a serologic assay used to identify immune response indicating current or prior infection with Brucella species.

Service type: Laboratory diagnostic immunoassay
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory (blood specimen collected in an outpatient clinic, physician office, or hospital and sent to a laboratory for analysis)

Data not available in the input.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 38-year-old agricultural worker presents to an outpatient infectious disease clinic with persistent fever, sweats, malaise, arthralgia, and a history of contact with livestock (goats and cattle). The clinician suspects brucellosis based on exposure history and systemic symptoms and orders serologic testing. A phlebotomy technician collects a venous blood specimen; the specimen is transported to the hospital microbiology laboratory. The lab analyst performs an immunoassay to detect antibodies to Brucella species (CPT 86622). Results are reported to the ordering clinician, who uses serology together with clinical evaluation and, if indicated, blood cultures and imaging to establish diagnosis and guide therapy. Typical sites of service: outpatient clinic, hospital outpatient laboratory, public health laboratory, or reference laboratory. Typical clinical workflow: order placed in EHR → patient venipuncture → specimen labeled and couriered → lab accessioning and testing → result verification by laboratory director/technologist → result released to clinician and patient record.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	Use when reporting only the professional interpretation component if the immunoassay interpretation is separately billable and the facility bills the technical component.
`TC`	Technical component	Use when billing only the technical component of the laboratory test (instrumentation, reagents, technician time) and the provider separate bills the professional component.
`90`	Reference (outside) laboratory	Use when the performing laboratory is an outside reference lab contracted by the ordering provider.
`91`	Repeat clinical diagnostic laboratory test	Use when the same test is repeated on the same day for valid clinical reasons (e.g., discrepant specimen).
`59`	Distinct procedural service	Use when another separate and distinct service is performed that is not usually reported together with the serologic test and documentation supports separate reporting.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the test is partially reduced or not completed and documentation supports prorated billing.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use if the laboratory procedure was started but discontinued and documentation supports the reason (e.g., specimen compromised).
`90`	Reference (outside) laboratory	Use when the performing laboratory is an outside reference lab contracted by the ordering provider.
`91`	Repeat clinical diagnostic laboratory test	Use when the same test is repeated on the same day for valid clinical reasons (e.g., discrepant specimen).
`59`	Distinct procedural service	Use when another separate and distinct service is performed that is not usually reported together with the serologic test and documentation supports separate reporting.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RH0000X	Infectious Disease	Specialists who order and interpret serologic testing for zoonotic infections.
208000000X	Pathology and Laboratory Medicine	Laboratory directors and pathologists responsible for test validation and result sign-out.
364S00000X	Clinical Laboratory	Clinical laboratory scientists and medical technologists performing immunoassays.
207L00000X	Internal Medicine	Primary care and hospitalists who may order initial testing for systemic infectious presentations.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`A23.9`	Brucellosis, unspecified	Primary diagnosis for suspected brucellosis when ordering Brucella antibody testing.
`R50.9`	Fever, unspecified	Common presenting symptom prompting infectious workup including Brucella serology.
`M79.7`	Fibromyalgia (or unspecified pain)	Includes generalized musculoskeletal pain; Brucellosis can present with arthralgia/myalgia and may be part of differential.
`A49.9`	Bacterial infection, unspecified	Nonspecific infection code sometimes used while awaiting specific organism confirmation.
`Z20.828`	Contact with and (suspected) exposure to other bacterial communicable diseases	Used when documented exposure to livestock or known Brucella source prompts testing.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`36415`	Collection of venous blood by venipuncture	Performed immediately before `86622` to obtain the specimen for Brucella serology.
`87070`	Culture, bacterial; blood, aerobic and anaerobic, by automated methods, per specimen	Blood cultures may be ordered alongside serology to attempt isolation of Brucella species in suspected acute infection.
`87480`	Infectious agent antigen detection by immunoassay, Brucella spp., direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) or other antigen tests	Alternative or complementary laboratory methods for detecting Brucella antigen; performed in some workflows.
`86485`	Antibody; Bartonella henselae and quintana, each	Example of another organism-specific serologic assay — shows parallel workflow for pathogen-specific immunoassays in the lab.
`99000`	Handling and/or conveyance of specimen for transfer from the collecting laboratory to a reference laboratory	Used when specimens are shipped to a reference lab performing `86622` or confirmatory testing.