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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesMicrobiology Culture and Typing ProceduresCPT cpt-87118-afb-definitive-identification
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    CPT 87118: AFB Isolate Identification to Species Level

    CPT code 87118 describes additional laboratory testing performed on a presumptively identified acid–fast bacillus (AFB) isolate to obtain a definitive organism identification, typically to the species level; service type: microbiology/immunology laboratory identification; typical site of service: clinical laboratory or hospital microbiology lab.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: B-Hemolytic Streptococcus Testing, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) — Coverage Criteria for Testing and Resistance Assays, Hepatitis Testing (A, B, C, D) Coverage Criteria.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A patient presents to an infectious disease clinic or hospital inpatient unit with symptoms suggestive of pulmonary mycobacterial infection (for example, chronic cough, weight loss, night sweats) or a previously identified acid–fast bacillus (AFB) isolate from a respiratory specimen. The clinical laboratory performs initial AFB smear and culture. When an isolate is presumptively identified as an AFB, a laboratory analyst performs definitive identification to species level using additional tests such as nucleic acid probes, biochemical testing, MALDI-TOF, or molecular sequencing. Typical workflow: specimen collection (sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage, tissue) → AFB smear and culture → presumptive identification → reporting of presumptive result to ordering clinician → reflex or ordered confirmatory testing coded with 87118 → final identification reported to clinical team for targeted therapy decisions. Typical site of service: hospital microbiology laboratory, reference laboratory, or outpatient hospital-associated lab. Typical patient scenario: an adult with chronic respiratory symptoms and a positive AFB culture requiring species-level identification to distinguish Mycobacterium tuberculosis from nontuberculous mycobacteria for infection control and treatment planning.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    87015Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic, any source except urine (for example: respiratory, tissue)Often precedes 87118 as culture recovery of organism is required before species-level identification.
    87116Culture, mycobacteria; isolation and presumptive identificationRepresents the initial culture and presumptive identification step; 87118 performs definitive species identification following 87116.
    87481Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (DNA or RNA); Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, amplified probe techniqueMolecular identification that may be used as an alternative or adjunct to tests billed under 87118 depending on method.
    87111Susceptibility testing for mycobacteria (when performed)Susceptibility testing is frequently performed after definitive species identification to guide antimicrobial therapy; often part of the subsequent workflow.
    87880Infectious agent antigen detection by immunoassay, multiple step (example codes for context)Rapid antigen or molecular assays may be performed in parallel but are not replacements for species-level identification coded with 87118.

    Related Modifiers

    7 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…
    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…
    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…
    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…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy CodeSpecialtyNotes
    207K00000XAllergy & Immunology PhysicianAn allergist-immunologist is trained in evaluation, physical and laboratory diagnosis, and management of disorders involving the immune system. Select…
    207L00000XAnesthesiology PhysicianAn anesthesiologist is trained to provide pain relief and maintenance, or restoration, of a stable condition during and immediately following an opera…
    207LP2900XPain Medicine (Anesthesiology) PhysicianAn anesthesiologist who provides a high level of care, either as a primary physician or consultant, for patients experiencing problems with acute, chr…
    103TS0200XSchool PsychologistA psychologist whose specialty is concerned with the science and practice of psychology with children, youth, families; learners of all ages; and the …
    207RE0101XEndocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism PhysicianAn internist who concentrates on disorders of the internal (endocrine) glands such as the thyroid and adrenal glands. This specialist also deals with …
    207RC0000XCardiovascular Disease PhysicianAn internist who specializes in diseases of the heart and blood vessels and manages complex cardiac conditions such as heart attacks and life-threaten…
    283X00000XRehabilitation HospitalA hospital or facility that provides health-related, social and/or vocational services to disabled persons to help them attain their maximum functiona…
    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…

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    23 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A15.0Tuberculosis of lung
    A15.4Tuberculosis of intrathoracic lymph nodes
    A15.9Respiratory tuberculosis unspecified
    A17.0Tuberculous meningitis
    A17.81Tuberculoma of brain and spinal cord
    A18.89Tuberculosis of other sites
    A31.0Pulmonary mycobacterial infection
    A31.1Cutaneous mycobacterial infection
    A31.8Other mycobacterial infections
    A31.9Mycobacterial infection, unspecified

    Showing 1–10 of 23

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Infectious Disease1 / 3

    9 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    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
    Testing for Vector-Borne InfectionsOscar Health2026-10-01
    Coronavirus Testing in the Outpatient SettingOscar 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-87077-DEFINITIVE-IDENTIFICATION-AEROBIC-ISOLATE

    CPT 87077: Definitive Identification of Aerobic Isolate

    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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