Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Quiz: Assign Laboratory Panel Codes
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Assign Laboratory Panel CodesQuestion 1 of 20

A physician orders a complete blood count (CBC) without differential. Which CPT® code covers CBC without differential?

85027
85025
85007
85014
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Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Quiz

Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Quiz: Assign Laboratory Panel Codes

Practice Assign Laboratory Panel Codes in Certified Professional Coder (CPC) with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Assign Laboratory Panel Codes, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Certified Professional Coder (CPC).

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Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

A physician orders a complete blood count (CBC) without differential. Which CPT® code covers CBC without differential?

  1. 85027 (correct answer)
  2. 85025
  3. 85007
  4. 85014
Explanation: CPT® 85027 covers blood count, complete (CBC), automated (Hgb, Hct, RBC, WBC, and platelet count) — without differential. Code 85025 covers CBC with automated differential; 85007 covers differential WBC count, manual; 85014 covers hematocrit only. When a CBC is ordered without a differential WBC count, 85027 is reported. The with/without differential distinction is the key differentiator between 85025 (with diff) and 85027 (without diff).

Question 2

A patient with acute chest pain has a troponin I test ordered in the emergency department for quantitative measurement. Which CPT® code covers troponin, quantitative?

  1. 82553
  2. 82554
  3. 84484 (correct answer)
  4. 84485
Explanation: CPT® 84484 covers troponin I or T, quantitative — the appropriate code for a laboratory-based quantitative troponin assay. Code 82553 covers myoglobin, quantitative; 82554 covers myoglobin, qualitative; 84485 covers xylose absorption test. Quantitative troponin testing (84484) is the standard assay for ruling in or ruling out acute myocardial injury. The distinction between quantitative and qualitative troponin testing is clinically important for choosing the correct code.

Question 3

A physician orders an HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody combination test as a single assay. Which CPT® code covers HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibody testing combined in a single result?

  1. 86689
  2. 86702
  3. 86703 (correct answer)
  4. 86701
Explanation: CPT® 86703 covers antibody to HIV-1 and HIV-2, single result — the correct code when a combination HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody test is performed as a single assay. Code 86701 covers HIV-1 antibody only; 86702 covers HIV-2 antibody only; 86689 covers HTLV or HIV antibody, confirmatory test (e.g., Western blot). Reporting 86701 and 86702 separately when a combined assay is performed constitutes unbundling. When the single combination assay is used, 86703 is the appropriate code.

Question 4

A patient on warfarin therapy undergoes a prothrombin time (PT) with INR calculation. Which CPT® code covers PT with INR?

  1. 85610 (correct answer)
  2. 85613
  3. 85730
  4. 85732
Explanation: CPT® 85610 covers prothrombin time (PT), which includes the INR calculation when performed. Code 85613 covers Russell viper venom time (dilute); 85730 covers partial thromboplastin time (PTT or aPTT), used for heparin monitoring; 85732 covers PTT substitution tests. For warfarin monitoring, the PT/INR (85610) is the standard test. The PT and PTT serve different clinical purposes and monitor different anticoagulants.

Question 5

A physician orders a hepatic function panel including total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, ALT, and AST. Which CPT® code covers the hepatic function panel?

  1. 80053
  2. 80048
  3. 80061
  4. 80076 (correct answer)
Explanation: CPT® 80076 covers the hepatic function panel, which includes albumin, bilirubin (direct), bilirubin (total), alkaline phosphatase, protein (total), AST, and ALT. Code 80053 covers the comprehensive metabolic panel (which also includes some of these analytes but adds renal function tests and electrolytes); 80048 covers the basic metabolic panel; 80061 covers the lipid panel. When liver function tests are ordered as a group meeting the panel definition, 80076 is reported.

Question 6

A patient with suspected heart failure has a B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) test ordered to assess cardiac function. Which CPT® code covers BNP testing?

  1. 83880 (correct answer)
  2. 83882
  3. 83519
  4. 83090
Explanation: CPT® 83880 covers natriuretic peptide (BNP). Code 83882 covers natriuretic peptide, NT-pro (N-terminal pro-BNP), a related but distinct assay; 83519 covers immunoassay for analyte other than antibody, quantitative (a non-specific immunoassay code); 83090 covers homocysteine. BNP (83880) and NT-proBNP (83882) are used to diagnose and monitor heart failure, but they are not interchangeable codes. The specific peptide tested determines the code.

Question 7

A pregnant patient in the first trimester undergoes an obstetric panel. Which CPT® code covers the standard obstetric panel?

  1. 80055 (correct answer)
  2. 80081
  3. 80050
  4. 80053
Explanation: CPT® 80055 covers the obstetric panel, which includes CBC with differential, hepatitis B surface antigen, antibody screen (RBC), rubella antibody, syphilis test (ABO), and antibody to HIV-1. Code 80081 covers an obstetric panel that includes HIV-1 antibody testing as a defined component; 80050 covers the general health panel; 80053 covers the comprehensive metabolic panel. The standard first-trimester obstetric panel is 80055.

Question 8

A physician orders a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer screening. Which CPT® code covers total PSA testing?

  1. 86316
  2. 86294
  3. 84153 (correct answer)
  4. 84154
Explanation: CPT® 84153 covers prostate specific antigen (PSA), total — the standard screening test for prostate cancer detection and monitoring. Code 84154 covers PSA, free (reported when the ratio of free-to-total PSA is calculated for risk stratification); 86316 covers immunoassay for tumor antigen, other, non-PSA-specific; 86294 covers immunoassay for tumor antigen, qualitative. For PSA screening, 84153 (total PSA) is the correct code, not the free PSA code (84154).

Question 9

A physician orders an antinuclear antibody (ANA) test to screen for autoimmune disease. Which CPT® code covers ANA testing?

  1. 86039
  2. 86038 (correct answer)
  3. 86431
  4. 86235
Explanation: CPT® 86038 covers antinuclear antibody (ANA), qualitative or semi-quantitative screen — the standard code for initial ANA testing. Code 86039 covers ANA, titer, used for quantitative follow-up testing when further titration is required after a positive screen; 86431 covers rheumatoid factor, qualitative (a separate autoimmune marker); 86235 covers antinuclear antibody, DNA (native or double-stranded), which tests for anti-dsDNA antibodies specifically associated with lupus. For a standard ANA screen, 86038 is the correct code.

Question 10

A physician orders a basic metabolic panel (BMP) including glucose, calcium (total), sodium, potassium, CO2, chloride, BUN, and creatinine. Which CPT® code covers the basic metabolic panel with total calcium?

  1. 80047
  2. 80050
  3. 80053
  4. 80048 (correct answer)
Explanation: CPT® 80048 covers the basic metabolic panel with total calcium — 8 analytes including glucose, calcium (total), sodium, potassium, CO2, chloride, BUN, and creatinine. Code 80047 covers the BMP with ionized calcium instead of total calcium; 80053 covers the full comprehensive metabolic panel (14 tests); 80050 covers the general health panel. The distinction between total calcium (80048) and ionized calcium (80047) in the BMP is clinically and coding-significant.

Question 11

A physician orders a lipid panel including total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. Which CPT® code covers the complete lipid panel?

  1. 80061 (correct answer)
  2. 82465
  3. 83718
  4. 84478
Explanation: CPT® 80061 covers the lipid panel, which includes total cholesterol (82465), HDL cholesterol (83718), and triglycerides (84478) — from which LDL is typically calculated. When all three components are ordered together, 80061 is reported instead of the individual analyte codes. Reporting individual codes when a panel code exists for the same combination constitutes unbundling.

Question 12

A urine culture is performed on a UTI specimen, and the laboratory performs both quantitative colony count and presumptive identification of the isolated organism. Which CPT® code covers bacterial urine culture with presumptive identification of isolates?

  1. 87040
  2. 87045
  3. 87086
  4. 87088 (correct answer)
Explanation: CPT® 87088 covers culture, bacteria, urine, with presumptive identification of isolates — reported when the laboratory both quantifies the colony count and identifies the organism(s) isolated. Code 87086 covers quantitative urine culture (colony count only, without organism identification); 87040 covers blood culture; 87045 covers stool culture for specific organisms. When presumptive identification is performed in addition to the quantitative count, 87088 is reported instead of, or in addition to, 87086, depending on the method and documentation.

Question 13

A patient's urine is screened for multiple drug classes using an immunoassay presumptive drug test. The screen covers 6 drug classes in a single session. Which CPT® code range covers current presumptive drug testing by immunoassay?

  1. 80300–80304
  2. 80305–80307 (correct answer)
  3. 80320–80377
  4. G0434–G0481
Explanation: CPT® codes 80305–80307 cover presumptive drug testing (qualitative screening). Code 80305 covers testing by any number of devices readable by direct optical observation only; 80306 covers testing read by instrument-assisted direct optical observation; 80307 covers testing by instrument chemistry analyzers utilizing immunoassay or enzymatic methods. Codes 80300–80304 are the deleted predecessor codes, no longer valid. Code range 80320–80377 covers definitive (confirmatory) drug testing. When immunoassay-based presumptive screening is performed, 80307 (or 80305/80306 depending on the reading method) is reported.

Question 14

A physician orders a general health panel for a new patient annual examination. The general health panel includes a comprehensive metabolic panel, CBC with differential, and TSH. Which CPT® code covers the general health panel?

  1. 80050 (correct answer)
  2. 80053
  3. 80048
  4. 80076
Explanation: CPT® 80050 covers the general health panel, which includes comprehensive metabolic panel (80053), CBC with automated differential (85025), and TSH (84443). Code 80053 covers the CMP alone; 80048 covers the basic metabolic panel; 80076 covers the hepatic function panel. When all components of the general health panel are ordered together, 80050 is reported instead of reporting each component individually. Reporting 80053, 85025, and 84443 separately when all were performed together would constitute unbundling.

Question 15

A physician performs an in-office urine pregnancy test using a qualitative immunoassay read by visual color comparison. Which CPT® code covers a qualitative urine pregnancy test performed in the office?

  1. 81000
  2. 84702
  3. 84703
  4. 81025 (correct answer)
Explanation: CPT® 81025 covers urine pregnancy test, by visual color comparison methods — the appropriate code for an office-based qualitative urine pregnancy dipstick or cassette test. Code 84702 covers human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), quantitative (a serum-based quantitative assay); 84703 covers HCG, qualitative (a laboratory-based qualitative serum or urine HCG test, distinct from the office dipstick method); 81000 covers manual urinalysis without microscopy. For the standard in-office visual-read qualitative urine pregnancy test, 81025 is the specific code.

Question 16

A physician orders a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) that includes glucose, calcium, albumin, total protein, sodium, potassium, CO2, chloride, BUN, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, ALT, AST, and bilirubin. Which CPT® code covers the comprehensive metabolic panel?

  1. 80047
  2. 80048
  3. 80053 (correct answer)
  4. 80076
Explanation: CPT® 80053 covers the comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), which includes 14 analytes: glucose, calcium, albumin, total protein, sodium, potassium, CO2, chloride, BUN, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, ALT, AST, and total bilirubin. Code 80047 covers the basic metabolic panel with ionized calcium; 80048 covers the basic metabolic panel with total calcium; 80076 covers the hepatic function panel. When all 14 CMP components are performed, 80053 is reported rather than individual analyte codes.

Question 17

A diabetic patient has a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test performed for long-term glucose monitoring. Which CPT® code covers HbA1c testing?

  1. 82985
  2. 83036 (correct answer)
  3. 84295
  4. 84439
Explanation: CPT® 83036 covers hemoglobin A1c (glycosylated hemoglobin). Code 82985 covers glycated protein (fructosamine), which reflects shorter-term glycemic control than HbA1c; 84295 covers sodium; 84439 covers thyroxine, total (T4). HbA1c (83036) reflects average blood glucose over the prior 2-3 months and is the standard test for diabetes management and long-term monitoring. It is distinct from fasting glucose and from the glycated protein (fructosamine) test.

Question 18

A physician performs a rapid antigen detection test for Group A streptococcal pharyngitis (rapid strep test) in the office. Which CPT® code covers rapid strep antigen detection by immunoassay with direct optical observation?

  1. 86403
  2. 86588
  3. 87070
  4. 87880 (correct answer)
Explanation: CPT® 87880 covers infectious agent antigen detection by immunoassay with direct optical (visual) observation, streptococcus, group A — the standard code for an office-based rapid strep test. Code 86403 covers particle agglutination, screen; 86588 covers streptococcal antibody detection (an older serology code, not a rapid antigen test); 87070 covers bacterial culture (a different method). For the standard office rapid strep immunoassay with visual reading, 87880 is the correct and specific code.

Question 19

A physician orders only glucose, BUN, and creatinine individually — three components from the basic metabolic panel. Should the BMP panel code (80048) be reported instead of the three individual codes?

  1. Yes — whenever any panel components are ordered, the panel code must be reported
  2. No — a panel code is reported only when ALL components of that panel are performed (correct answer)
  3. Yes — panel codes are always required by Medicare regardless of what is ordered
  4. No — individual test codes are always preferred over panel codes
Explanation: CPT® coding guidelines state that a panel code is reported only when all of the tests included in that panel are performed. If only some components of a panel are ordered, the individual test codes are reported separately — the panel code is not reported. Ordering glucose, BUN, and creatinine (3 of the 8 BMP components) does not support reporting 80048. Additionally, unbundling rules prohibit separately reporting individual analyte codes when a complete panel was performed — the panel code must be used when all components are done.

Question 20

A urine culture grows E. coli, and antibiotic susceptibility testing using the disk diffusion (Kirby-Bauer) method is performed to guide antibiotic selection. Which CPT® code covers antimicrobial susceptibility testing by disk method?

  1. 87181
  2. 87184 (correct answer)
  3. 87186
  4. 87188
Explanation: CPT® 87184 covers susceptibility studies, antimicrobial agent; disk method (Kirby-Bauer), per plate — the standard code for disk diffusion susceptibility testing. Code 87186 covers susceptibility by microdilution or agar dilution (MIC), each agent; 87181 covers susceptibility by enzyme inactivation method; 87188 covers susceptibility by macrotube dilution. The disk diffusion (Kirby-Bauer) method, which places antibiotic-impregnated disks on an agar plate with the organism, is specifically reported with 87184.