Summary & Overview
CPT 89346: Oocyte Storage, Annual
CPT code 89346 covers the annual storage of one or more oocytes (egg cells) in a laboratory setting. The code captures the cost and administrative tracking of cryopreserving reproductive material for a defined storage period and is typically billed once per year of storage. This service is central to fertility preservation, assisted reproductive technology programs, and cases where patients elect to store oocytes for future use.
Key payers in the national analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of how this code is used clinically and administratively, national uptake and coverage context across major payers, and benchmarks for annual reporting of oocyte storage services. The summary provides clinical context about where and why the service is provided, outlines common billing considerations, and highlights areas where policy updates or payer coverage decisions can affect access to oocyte storage.
The publication offers a concise reference for billing staff, laboratory administrators, and policy analysts seeking to understand the purpose of CPT code 89346, payer coverage patterns, and the operational implications of annual reporting for long-term reproductive tissue storage.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 89346 describes the storage of one or more oocytes (egg cells) for a specified time. This code is reported once per year of storage and documents the laboratory service of preserving collected oocytes for patients pursuing fertility preservation or assisted reproductive technologies.
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Service type: Laboratory storage service for reproductive material
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Typical site of service: Specialized fertility clinic laboratory or reproductive tissue cryostorage facility
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 33-year-old woman undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) elects for elective long-term cryostorage of retrieved oocytes prior to embryo creation. After ovarian stimulation and transvaginal oocyte retrieval performed in an outpatient ambulatory surgery center, the embryology laboratory receives multiple mature oocytes. The lab analyst documents identification, vitrification, and placement of the oocytes into cryogenic storage tanks. The storage service is billed annually for custody and maintenance of the eggs. Typical workflow: oocyte retrieval procedure → laboratory processing (assessment, vitrification) → inventorying and labeling → placement into long-term liquid nitrogen storage → periodic monitoring and annual billing using the storage-per-year code. Typical site of service: hospital-affiliated or freestanding ambulatory surgery center with on-site embryology laboratory or dedicated fertility clinic laboratory. Typical patient scenario: fertility preservation for planned cancer therapy, social/elective fertility preservation, or delayed family building after ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval, requiring annual storage of one or more oocytes billed per year using 89346.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Standard reporting when no modifier applies |