CAP Today addresses CPT billing issues.  You can call them at
1-800-392-9994.  The CPT billing  book states 88342 is per antibody.  In
July 1999 issue of CAP Today the issue of special stains was mentioned.
	"Special stain codes (88312 to 88314) are used per stain, per
specimen regardless of the number of slides stained.  For example, one
specimen with one special stain used on multiple slides receives the
appropriate special stains code only once; however, one specimen that
receives three special stains is coded separately for each special stain
used."
I believe the same hold true for antibodies.

Jennifer MacDonald
> ----------
> From: 	PAMELA HORGE[SMTP:PHORGE1@FAIRVIEW.ORG]
> Sent: 	Monday, November 22, 1999 5:54 AM
> To: 	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu; jmacdonald@sach.org;
> dsitrin@unipathllc.com
> Subject: 	RE: Charging immunos
>
> One of our pathologists wants to charge for two IHC stains (CPT 88342) on
> sentinel nodes because we do  cytokeratins on two levels. It is my
> understanding that we can charge for only one. She wants written
> documentation that specifically addresses this issue. Does anyone know
> where I can find such documentation?
>
> >>> "MacDonald, Jennifer" <jmacdonald@sach.org> 11/19/99 03:21PM >>>
> The CPT charge is based on each antibody per specimen.  For example if you
> do a LCA and Cytokeratin on specimen "A" the charge is 88342 X 2,
> regardless
> of the number of blocks on specimen A.  If you do the same antibodies on
> specimen A and B the charges would be 88342 X 4, again regardless of the
> number of blocks stained for each specimen.  It is the number of stains
> per
> specimen.  This holds true for 88312 and 88313 also.
>
> Jennifer
>
> > ----------
> > From: 	Donna Sitrin[SMTP:dsitrin@unipathllc.com]
> > Sent: 	Thursday, November 18, 1999 6:27 PM
> > To: 	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> > Subject: 	Charging immunos
> >
> > Does anyone know if a CPT charge can be generated per slide, or per
> > antibody?
> >
> > Thanks for your input,
> > Donna Sitrin
> > Unipath, LLC
> > dsitrin@unipathllc.com
> >
> >
>
>