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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesPathology and Laboratory ServicesHCPCS hcpcs-p3001-screening-pap-smear-cervical-vaginal
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    HCPCS Level II P3001: Screening Papanicolaou Smear, Up to Three Smears

    Medicare pays $25 on average nationally for this procedure.

    HCPCS Level II code P3001 describes a screening Papanicolaou (Pap) smear of the cervix or vagina, covering up to three smears that require physician interpretation; service type is a screening cytology test typically performed in an outpatient office or clinic setting (gynecology or primary care) and submitted for professional interpretation of the smears.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Hematology - Adzynma, Tumor Treating Fields for Pancreatic Cancer, Axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta®) coverage.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 29-year-old female presents to an outpatient gynecology clinic for routine cervical cancer screening. She is asymptomatic, sexually active, and due for her routine Pap test per age-based screening guidelines. The medical assistant rooming the patient documents contraceptive use, menstrual history, and last screening date. A single-use speculum exam is performed; a clinician obtains cervical cytology samples (up to three separate smears if needed) using a spatula, cytobrush, or broom device and places specimens on slides or into liquid-based cytology vials. The specimens are labeled and sent to the pathology laboratory. The physician or qualified health professional performs microscopic interpretation and issues a formal cytology report. Typical documentation includes indication for screening, method of collection, number of smears or vials collected, anatomical source (cervix and/or vagina), any clinician-perceived difficulty, and the interpretive findings from the pathologist. Billing uses HCPCS Level II code P3001 to represent a screening Papanicolaou smear, cervical or vaginal, up to three smears, when interpretation is performed by a physician. Typical site of service is an outpatient clinic, physician office, or community health center. The scenario may also occur in family planning clinics or gynecologic preventive care visits.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    88141Cytopathology, cervical or vaginal (Pap), smears; screening only, interpretation by a physicianOften used by laboratories and clinicians as the CPT equivalent for microscopic interpretation of Pap smears when reporting under CPT conventions.
    88142Cytopathology, cervical or vaginal (Pap), smears; automated screening, interpretation by a physicianUsed when automated screening technology assists slide review prior to physician interpretation.
    G0123Screening Papanicolaou smear; gynecologic CYTOLOGY, collected in physician officeUsed by some payors as an alternative HCPCS/CPT code for screening Pap smears in outpatient settings.
    99000Handling specimen for transportMay be reported when additional handling beyond routine collection is required per facility policy.
    99213Office or other outpatient visit, established patient, low to moderate complexityRepresents a common E/M level on the same day when a separately identifiable visit is provided with the screening Pap smear.

    Related Modifiers

    6 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…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207V00000X
    208000000X
    163W00000X
    207L00000X
    261QP2300X
    207NS0135X
    163WG0600X
    172M00000X

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Hematology/Oncology1 / 4

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Hematology - AdzynmaCigna2026-10-15
    Tumor Treating Fields for Pancreatic Cancerselect_health2026-10-01
    Axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta®) coverageBaylor Scott & White Health Plan2026-10-01
    Electric Tumor Treatment Field Therapy (for Kentucky Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Electric Tumor Treatment Field Therapy (for Kansas Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Electric Tumor Treatment Field Therapy (for Idaho Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus) CoverageBaylor Scott & White Health Plan2026-10-01
    Electric Tumor Treatment Field Therapy (for Pennsylvania Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Epithelial Cell Cytology in Breast Cancer Risk AssessmentOscar Health2026-10-01
    Factor VIII ProductsCigna2026-09-15

    Related Codes

    HCPCS-LEVEL-II-P2029-CONGO-RED-BLOOD-TEST

    HCPCS P2029: Congo red, blood

    HCPCS-P2028-CEPHALIN-FLOCCULATION-BLOOD

    HCPCS Level II P2028: Cephalin Flocculation, Blood

    HCPCS-P2031-HAIR-ANALYSIS-EXCLUDING-ARSENIC

    HCPCS P2031: Hair Analysis (Excluding Arsenic)

    HCPCS-P2033-THYMOL-TURBIDITY-BLOOD-LAB-TEST

    HCPCS P2033: Thymol Turbidity, Blood

    HCPCS-P2038-MUCOPROTEIN-BLOOD-SEROMUCOID-LAB-TEST

    HCPCS Level II P2038: Mucoprotein (Seromucoid) Blood Test

    HCPCS-P3000-SCREENING-PAP-SMEAR-TECHNICIAN-SUPERVISED

    HCPCS Level II P3000: Screening Papanicolaou Smear by Technician

    HCPCS-P7001-QUANTITATIVE-URINE-BACTERIAL-CULTURE-SENSITIVITY

    HCPCS P7001: Urine Bacterial Culture, Quantitative with Sensitivity

    HCPCS-P9010-WHOLE-BLOOD-TRANSFUSION-PER-UNIT

    HCPCS Level II P9010: Blood (whole) for Transfusion, per Unit

    HCPCS-P9011-BLOOD-SPLIT-UNIT

    HCPCS Level II P9011: Blood, Split Unit

    HCPCS-P9012-CRYOPRECIPITATE-EACH-UNIT

    HCPCS Level II P9012: Cryoprecipitate, Each Unit

    Showing 1–10 of 58

    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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