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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesTemporary CodesHCPCS hcpcs-q0111-wet-mount-vaginal-cervical-skin-specimens
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    HCPCS Q0111: Wet Mount Preparations of Vaginal, Cervical, or Skin Specimens

    HCPCS Level II code Q0111 describes wet mount preparations of vaginal, cervical, or skin specimens used to evaluate cells and microorganisms; this represents a specimen preparation diagnostic service typically performed in outpatient clinics, physician offices, urgent care centers, or clinical laboratories where point-of-care microscopy or laboratory wet-mount analysis is performed.

    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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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 28-year-old female presents to a primary care or women's health clinic with a 3-day history of vaginal itching, abnormal discharge, and mild dysuria. The clinician obtains a pelvic history, performs a focused pelvic examination, and collects vaginal secretions for point-of-care testing. A wet mount is prepared in the clinic by placing a sample of vaginal or cervical secretions on a glass slide with saline (and KOH if indicated) to evaluate for motile trichomonads, clue cells consistent with bacterial vaginosis, yeast buds or hyphae, and make a rapid assessment for cellular or infectious causes of symptoms. The workflow includes specimen collection, slide preparation, microscopic examination by the clinician or laboratory technologist, documentation of findings in the medical record, and recording the test as a billable service using HCPCS Level II code Q0111. Results guide immediate treatment decisions or further testing such as NAAT or culture if indicated. Typical sites of service include ambulatory clinic offices, family planning clinics, urgent care centers, and outpatient gynecology practices.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    57454Colposcopy including upper/adjacent structures; with biopsy(s) of the cervix and endocervical curettagePerformed when visual cervical abnormalities on exam or wet mount suggest need for tissue diagnosis
    87210Smear, primary source with interpretation; wet mount, potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparationOften performed alongside or as an alternative to Q0111 when KOH prep is specifically required
    87070Culture, bacterial; any source, screening only, for presence of bacteriaOrdered if wet mount suggests bacterial infection and culture is needed for organism identification
    87481Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (DNA or RNA); Trichomonas vaginalis, amplified probe techniquePerformed when increased sensitivity is needed to confirm trichomonas suspected on wet mount
    87077Culture, fungal; any source, fungal isolate identificationOrdered when yeast is suspected on wet mount and organism ID or susceptibility is required

    Related Modifiers

    9 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    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.,…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    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 Code
    208D00000X
    208000000X
    363L00000X
    246Z00000X
    225200000X
    364SA2200X
    251E00000X
    207SG0207X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    25 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A07.8Other specified protozoal intestinal diseases
    A09Infectious gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified
    A49.02Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, unspecified site
    A54.03Gonococcal cervicitis, unspecified
    A56.01Chlamydial cystitis and urethritis
    A59.01Trichomonal vulvovaginitis
    B37.0Candidal stomatitis
    N72Inflammatory disease of cervix uteri
    N76.0Acute vaginitis
    N76.1Subacute and chronic vaginitis

    Showing 1–10 of 25

    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

    HCPCS-LEVEL-II-Q4139-INJECTABLE-AMNIOMATRIX-BIODMATRIX-1-CC

    HCPCS Q4139: Amniomatrix or Biodmatrix, Injectable, 1 cc

    HCPCS-LEVEL-II-Q4256-AREA-BASED-PROCEDURAL-ADD-ON-PER-SQ-CM

    HCPCS Q4256: MLG-complete Skin Graft Material, Per Sq Cm

    HCPCS-LEVEL-II-Q5132-ADALIMUMAB-AFZB-ABRILADA-10MG-INJECTION

    HCPCS Level II Q5132: Injection, adalimumab-afzb (Abrilada), 10 mg

    HCPCS-Q0035-CARDIOKYMOGRAPHY-CARDIAC-MOTION-RECORDING

    HCPCS Level II Q0035: Cardiokymography

    HCPCS-Q0081-INFUSION-THERAPY-NON-CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC-PER-VISIT

    HCPCS Level II Q0081: Infusion Therapy, Non‑Chemotherapeutic, Per Visit

    HCPCS-Q0083-CHEMOTHERAPY-NON-INFUSION-ADMINISTRATION

    HCPCS Q0083: Chemotherapy Administration, Non-Infusion Methods

    HCPCS-Q0084-CHEMOTHERAPY-INFUSION-ADMINISTRATION-PER-VISIT

    HCPCS Q0084: Chemotherapy Infusion Administration, Per Visit

    HCPCS-Q0085-CHEMOTHERAPY-INFUSION-PLUS-OTHER-TECHNIQUES-PER-VISIT

    HCPCS Q0085: Chemotherapy Infusion Plus Other Technique(s), Per Visit

    HCPCS-Q0091-PAP-SMEAR-SPECIMEN-COLLECTION-TRANSPORT

    HCPCS Q0091: Screening Papanicolaou Smear Collection and Transport

    HCPCS-Q0092-PORTABLE-XRAY-EQUIPMENT-SETUP

    HCPCS Q0092: Set-up Portable X-ray Equipment

    Showing 1–10 of 629

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    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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