In a few days, we will be sending out a spreadsheet designed to capture all of the direct costs for these tests, including technologist and clinical scientist time, reagents and supplies, large and small equipment, etc. We are asking for volunteer laboratories to fill out the spreadsheet for a few of the codes. Palmetto GBA would like to have data from four to five labs for each code.  The codes are as follows:

81370 HLA Class I and II typing, low resolution (eg, antigen equivalents); HLA-A,-B,-C,-DRB1/3/4/5 and DQB1
 

81371 HLA-A,-B, and DRB1/3/4/5 (eg, verification typing)
 

81372 HLA Class I typing, low resolution (eg, antigen equivalents); complete (ie, HLA-A, -B, and -C)
 

81373 HLA Class I typing, low resolution (eg, antigen equivalents); one locus (eg, HLA-A, -B, or -C), each
 

81374 HLA Class I typing, low resolution (eg, antigen equivalents); one antigen equivalent (eg, B*27), each
 

81375 HLA Class II typing, low resolution (eg, antigen equivalents); HLA-DRB1/3/4/5 and -DQB1
 

81376 HLA Class II typing, low resolution (eg, antigen equivalents); one locus (eg, HLA-DRB1/3/4/5, -DQB1, -DQA1, -DPB1, or -DPA1), each
 

81377 HLA Class II typing, low resolution (eg, antigen equivalents); one antigen equivalent, each
 

81378 HLA Class I and II typing, high resolution (ie, alleles or allele groups); HLA-A,-B,-C, and -DRB1
 

81379 HLA Class I typing, high resolution (ie, alleles or allele groups); complete (ie, HLA-A, -B, and -C)
 

81380 HLA Class I typing, high resolution (ie, alleles or allele groups) one locus (eg, HLA-A, -B, or -C), each
 

81381 HLA Class I typing, high resolution (ie, alleles or allele groups); one allele or allele group (eg, B*57:01P), each
 

81382 HLA Class II typing, high resolution (ie, alleles or allele groups); one locus (eg, HLA-DRB1, -DRB3, -DRB4,
-DRB5, -DQB1, -DQA1, -DPB1, or -DPA1), each
 

81383 HLA Class II typing, high resolution (ie, alleles or allele groups); one allele or allele group (eg, HLA-DQB1*06:02P), each
 

Whatever method (SSO, SSP, SBT, etc.) or combination of methods you use to perform this testing is fine. All sizes of labs are encouraged to contribute to this effort.

 
Again, this is an important opportunity for our laboratories to help the government determine what they will pay us for the testing we do.
 

We will remove the lab name from the information before passing it on to CMS unless you indicate that you are willing to provide that information to them. If you do not want the ASHI workgroup to know your lab name, you may send the information to Kathy Miranda and she can forward it without identifiers. If you have questions for CMS that you do not wish to share with ASHI, you may contact Dr. Jeter directly. Her contact information is:
  

Elaine K. Jeter, MD
J1 MolDx Medical Director
Palmetto GBA
Ph:  803-763-5059
FAX:   803-935-0199
Elaine.jeter@palmettogba.com

If you would like to help with this effort, please contact Dr. Sandy Helman, Chair of the ASHI CPT Committee, at shelman@gru.edu or 706-721-3312. Thank you.

Sandy Helman, PhD, D(ABHI)   

Chair, CPT Committee

Amy B. Hahn, PhD, D(ABHI)

Chair, National Clinical Affairs Committee