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    OpenPayerBilling CodesMicrobiology Culture and Typing ProceduresCPT cpt-87077-definitive-identification-aerobic-isolate
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    CPT 87077: Definitive Identification of Aerobic Isolate

    CPT code 87077 describes laboratory procedures where the lab analyst performs additional testing on a presumptively identified aerobic bacterial isolate to provide a definitive organism identification, typically to the species level; service type: microbiological identification/diagnostic testing; typical site of service: clinical microbiology laboratory or hospital laboratory performing organism identification workflows.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Long-Acting Injectable Antiretroviral Agents for HIV, B-Hemolytic Streptococcus Testing, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) — Coverage Criteria for Testing and Resistance Assays.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient scenario involves an adult hospitalized with a suspected bacterial bloodstream infection. The patient developed fever, leukocytosis, and hemodynamic changes; blood cultures collected in the emergency department grew an aerobic organism on preliminary Gram stain. The laboratory performs initial culture and presumptive identification; when a presumptive aerobic isolate requires definitive identification to the species level, a lab analyst performs additional biochemical, phenotypic, or mass spectrometry testing. The workflow: specimen arrives in microbiology, culture is incubated on appropriate media, colony morphology and Gram stain provide a presumptive ID, then the lab runs confirmatory testing (for example, automated identification panels, MALDI-TOF, or biochemical assays). Results are reported to the ordering clinician and infection prevention; definitive identification can guide targeted antimicrobial therapy and epidemiologic surveillance. Typical site of service is the hospital clinical microbiology laboratory or a reference laboratory supporting inpatient and outpatient facilities.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    87070Aerobic culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolatesOften performed prior to 87077 when initial culture and presumptive ID are obtained; 87077 represents the additional definitive testing on an aerobic isolate
    87075Anaerobic culture, bacterial; any source except urine, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolatesPerformed for suspected anaerobic infections; complements aerobic testing when polymicrobial infection is possible
    87101Culture, presumptive, pathogenic organisms, identification by any methodRepresents organism identification procedures; may be billed in conjunction when different methods are used
    87205Smear, primary source with interpretation; Gram or Giemsa stain, bacterialInitial Gram stain is frequently part of the workflow before definitive identification to direct further testing
    87491Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (e.g., PCR), amplified probe technique; chlamydia trachomatis or neisseria gonorrhoeae (single or multiplex) — example molecular testsMolecular identification tests may accompany or replace phenotypic 87077 methods for rapid species-level identification
    87140Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, identification of organism and susceptibilityPerformed after definitive identification to determine antimicrobial sensitivities; follows 87077 in the diagnostic sequence

    Related Modifiers

    8 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…
    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…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
    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…
    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…
    95Modifier 95 indicates that a service was provided via synchronous, real‑time audio‑video telehealth rather than in‑person. Per CMS, AAPC and professional associations, append modifier 95 to claim…- Use modifier 95 to indicate a service was furnished via synchronous, real‑time audiovisual telehealth (a live audio‑video conference between patient and provider) rather than in‑person. - Pair…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207RH0000X
    2080P0006X
    207L00000X
    174400000X
    208100000X
    163WW0101X
    251E00000X
    207ZP0007X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    26 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A41.9Sepsis, unspecified organism
    A49.1Streptococcal infection, unspecified site
    A49.9Bacterial infection, unspecified
    A54.89Other gonococcal infections
    A56.09Other chlamydial infection of lower genitourinary tract
    B95.1Streptococcus, group B, as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere
    B95.3Streptococcus pneumoniae as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere
    E11.69Type 2 diabetes mellitus with other specified complication
    G00.9Bacterial meningitis, unspecified
    H66.90Otitis media, unspecified, unspecified ear

    Showing 1–10 of 26

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Infectious Disease1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Long-Acting Injectable Antiretroviral Agents for HIVColorado Rocky Mountain Health Plans2026-10-01
    B-Hemolytic Streptococcus TestingOscar Health2026-10-01
    Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) — Coverage Criteria for Testing and Resistance AssaysOscar Health2026-10-01
    Hepatitis Testing (A, B, C, D) Coverage CriteriaOscar Health2026-10-01
    Lyme Disease Testing Coverage CriteriaOscar Health2026-10-01
    Pathogen Panel TestingOscar Health2026-10-01
    Diagnostic Testing of Common Sexually Transmitted InfectionsOscar Health2026-10-01
    Coronavirus Testing in the Outpatient SettingOscar Health2026-10-01
    Testing for Vector-Borne InfectionsOscar Health2026-10-01
    Testing for Diagnosis of Active or Latent TuberculosisOscar Health2026-10-01

    Related Codes

    87086-CULTURE-BACTERIAL-QUANTITATIVE-COLONY-COUNT

    CPT 87086: Urine Culture with Quantitative Colony Count

    CPT-87040-BLOOD-CULTURE-ISOLATION-PRESUMPTIVE-IDENTIFICATION

    CPT 87040: Blood Bacterial Culture with Isolation and Presumptive ID

    CPT-87045-AEROBIC-BACTERIAL-STOOL-CULTURE-SALMONELLA-SHIGELLA

    CPT 87045: Aerobic Bacterial Stool Culture for Salmonella/Shigella

    CPT-87046-AEROBIC-BACTERIAL-STOOL-CULTURE-PRESUMPTIVE-ID-NON-SALMONELLA-SHIGELLA

    CPT 87046: Aerobic Bacterial Stool Culture, Presumptive ID (non-Salmonella/Shigella)

    CPT-87070-AEROBIC-CULTURE-ISOLATION-PRESUMPTIVE-IDENTIFICATION

    CPT 87070: Aerobic Culture with Isolation and Presumptive Identification

    CPT-87071-AEROBIC-QUANTITATIVE-BACTERIAL-CULTURE-NON-URINE-BLOOD-STOOL

    CPT 87071: Quantitative Aerobic Bacterial Culture, Non-urine/blood/stool

    CPT-87073-ANAEROBIC-CULTURE-NONBLOOD-NONURINE-NONSTOOL

    CPT 87073: Anaerobic Culture, Non-Urine/Blood/Stool

    CPT-87075-ANAEROBIC-CULTURE-IDENTIFICATION-NON-BLOOD-SPECIMEN

    CPT 87075: Anaerobic Culture and Bacterial Identification (Nonblood)

    CPT-87076-ANAEROBIC-ISOLATE-DEFINITIVE-IDENTIFICATION

    CPT 87076: Anaerobic Isolate Identification to Species Level

    CPT-87081-TARGETED-SINGLE-ORGANISM-CULTURE

    CPT 87081: Selective Culture for Specific Pathogen

    Showing 1–10 of 30

    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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