Summary & Overview
CPT 86950: Donor Leukocyte Separation and Transfusion
CPT code 86950 denotes the laboratory preparation and transfusion of donor leukocytes to a recipient patient. This specialized transfusion procedure is clinically significant for situations that may require targeted cellular therapy or immune modulation and is distinct from standard red cell or plasma transfusions. Nationally, accurate coding and coverage determination for such cellular transfusions affect hospital billing, blood bank operations, and patient access to specialty transfusion services.
Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the code’s clinical context, typical service setting, and which major payers are relevant to coverage discussions. The publication also summarizes common modifiers reported with this service (input provided) and highlights areas where data were not supplied.
The report provides benchmarks and policy-facing content to help billing and clinical teams understand coding implications, payer coverage patterns, and documentation priorities for cellular transfusion services. It is intended for national audiences including hospital billing managers, transfusion medicine specialists, and policy analysts seeking a practical reference on CPT code 86950 and its role in clinical and reimbursement workflows.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 86950 describes a procedure in which laboratory personnel separate leukocytes from donor blood and transfuse those leukocytes to a recipient patient. This service is a form of cellular transfusion involving donor white blood cells rather than standard whole blood or red cell products.
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Service type: Cellular blood product preparation and transfusion
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Typical site of service: Hospital inpatient or hospital outpatient transfusion center where laboratory processing and transfusion services are available
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 52-year-old patient with severe, treatment-refractory neutropenia due to aplastic anemia is admitted for leukocyte transfusion therapy. Donor leukocyte concentrates are prepared by the hospital blood bank laboratory staff who separate donor leukocytes from whole blood or apheresis collections, perform compatibility testing and infectious disease screening per institutional protocols, and then transfuse the leukocyte product to the recipient at the bedside under hematology supervision. The clinical workflow includes physician order for leukocyte transfusion, pre-transfusion verification, vital-sign and premedication assessment, laboratory confirmation (blood type, crossmatch as indicated), preparation and labeling of the leukocyte product by lab personnel, transport to the inpatient unit, transfusion by trained nursing staff with continuous monitoring for transfusion reactions, and post-transfusion documentation of response and adverse events. Typical indications include life-threatening infections in severely neutropenic patients or refractory bacterial/fungal infections where donor leukocyte support is considered.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier / Not otherwise specified | Use when no specific modifier applies and payer requires explicit 00 reporting. |