How To Use CPT Code 0051U

CPT 0051U describes the evaluation of drugs present in a patient’s body using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for a 31 drug panel. This article will cover the description, procedure, qualifying circumstances, appropriate usage, documentation requirements, billing guidelines, historical information, and examples.

1. What is CPT Code 0051U?

CPT 0051U can be used to evaluate the presence or absence and the quantity of prescription drugs in a patient’s body. This test utilizes liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to precisely identify and determine the concentration of analytes in a urine or blood sample. The test includes all drugs and metabolites evaluated on a single date of service.

2. Official Description

The official description of CPT code 0051U is: ‘Prescription drug monitoring, evaluation of drugs present by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), urine or blood, 31 drug panel, reported as quantitative results, detected or not detected, per date of service.’

3. Procedure

1. The patient provides a urine or blood sample for analysis.
2. The sample is analyzed using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify and quantify the drugs present.
3. The test evaluates a 31 drug panel, providing quantitative results for each drug, indicating whether it was detected or not detected.
4. The analysis is performed on a single date of service, including all drugs and metabolites evaluated.

4. Qualifying circumstances

CPT 0051U is appropriate for patients undergoing prescription drug monitoring to assess whether they are at a steady-state for prescription medications. This test can be ordered by clinicians to evaluate the presence and quantity of prescription drugs in a patient’s body. It is important to note that CPT 0051U is a proprietary laboratory analysis (PLA) code specific to the UCompliDx test from Elite Medical Laboratory Solutions LLC.

5. When to use CPT code 0051U

CPT code 0051U should be used when there is a need to evaluate the presence and quantity of prescription drugs in a patient’s body using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This code is applicable for the UCompliDx test from Elite Medical Laboratory Solutions LLC and should not be reported using any other CPT code.

6. Documentation requirements

To support a claim for CPT 0051U, the following documentation is required:

• Patient’s information and relevant medical history
• Date of service and specimen collection
• Results of the liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis
• Quantitative results for each drug in the 31 drug panel
• Indication of whether each drug was detected or not detected

7. Billing guidelines

When billing for CPT 0051U, ensure that the test is performed by Elite Medical Laboratory Solutions LLC for the UCompliDx test. Report one unit of this code for a single specimen analyzed on a single date of service. It is important to note that some payers may separately reimburse for specimen collection. Do not report CPT 0051U with any other CPT code.

8. Historical information

CPT 0051U was added to the Current Procedural Terminology system on July 1, 2018. There have been no updates or changes to the code since its addition.

9. Examples

1. A patient undergoes the UCompliDx test from Elite Medical Laboratory Solutions LLC to evaluate the presence and quantity of prescription drugs in their body.
2. A clinician orders CPT 0051U to assess whether a patient is at a steady-state for their prescription medications.
3. A urine sample is analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for a 31 drug panel, providing quantitative results for each drug.
4. The UCompliDx test from Elite Medical Laboratory Solutions LLC detects the presence of specific prescription drugs in a patient’s blood sample.
5. CPT 0051U is used to determine the absence or presence of prescription drugs in a patient’s urine sample.
6. A clinician utilizes the UCompliDx test from Elite Medical Laboratory Solutions LLC to evaluate a patient’s compliance with their prescribed medications.
7. The liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of a blood sample provides quantitative results for a 31 drug panel using CPT 0051U.
8. A patient’s urine sample is tested for the presence of prescription drugs using the UCompliDx test from Elite Medical Laboratory Solutions LLC.
9. CPT 0051U is employed to evaluate the concentration of prescription drugs in a patient’s body based on the liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis.
10. A clinician orders the UCompliDx test from Elite Medical Laboratory Solutions LLC to monitor a patient’s adherence to their prescribed medications.