HCPCS Codes U0003 and U0004 for COVID Testing

In the 4/15/2020 press release, CMS Increases Medicare Payment for High-Production Coronavirus Lab Tests, CMS announced a higher payment for certain laboratory tests where the technology used for the test can rapidly diagnose large numbers of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

Two new HCPCS codes, U0003 and U0004, have been created for laboratories to bill for the detection of SARS–CoV–2 or the diagnosis of the virus that causes COVID–19. HCPCS U0003 and U0004 are effective for dates of service on and after 4/14/2020 and will remain active until the end of the public health emergency.

The new HCPCS codes are paid under the Medicare CLFS at the rate of $100. There is no beneficiary cost-sharing under Original Medicare. 

• U0003: Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (DNA or RNA); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Coronavirus disease [COVID-19]), amplified probe technique, making use of high throughput technologies as described by CMS-2020-01-R
• U0004: 2019-nCoV Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2/2019-nCoV (COVID-19), any technique, multiple types or subtypes (includes all targets), non-CDC, making use of high throughput technologies as described by CMS-2020-01-R

Posted 4/21/2020