Flow Cytometry AHS – F2019

Description of Procedure or Service

Flow cytometry is a process for cell analysis, beneficial for measuring the number of cells in a sample of blood as well as cell properties such as size, shape and the presence of biomarkers. “Analyses to determine cellular characteristics, such as size, granularity, viability, and immunophenotyping, are the most common types of studies done” (Verbsky and Routes, 2017). Flow cytometry is beneficial for the diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of certain diseases.

***Note: This Medical Policy is complex and technical. For questions concerning the technical language and/or specific clinical indications for its use, please consult your physician.

Policy

BCBSNC will provide coverage for flow cytometry when it is determined to be medically necessary because the medical criteria and guidelines shown below are met.

Benefits Application

This medical policy relates only to the services or supplies described herein. Please refer to the Member's Benefit Booklet for availability of benefits. Member's benefits may vary according to benefit design; therefore member benefit language should be reviewed before applying the terms of this medical policy.

When Flow Cytometry is covered

Flow cytometry immunophenotyping of cell surface markers is considered medically necessary for any of the following conditions:

• Cytopenias, lymphomas, leukemia and lymphoproliferative disorders or myelodysplastic syndrome;
• B-cell monitoring for immunosuppressive disorders;
• T-cell monitoring for HIV infection and AIDS 
• Mast cell neoplasms 
• Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria 
• Post-operative monitoring of members who have undergone organ transplantation 
• Plasma cell disorders 
• Primary Immunodeficiencies (PIDs), and PIDs involving T, NK
• Hypercellular Hematolymphoid Disorders 
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) 
• Chronic Myeloproliferative Disorders (CMPD) 
• Minimal Residual Disease (MRD)
• Molar pregnancy 
• Primary Platelet Disorders, Non-neoplastic 
• Red Cell and White Cell Disorders, Non-neoplastic 

When Flow Cytometry is not covered

Use of flow cytometry is considered not medically necessary for any clinical conditions not listed above.

Policy Guidelines

Brown and Wittwer (2000) detail the principles of flow cytometry: “Flow cytometry measures optical and fluorescence characteristics of single cells (or any other particle, including nuclei, microorganisms, chromosome preparations, and latex beads). Physical properties, such as size (represented by forward angle light scatter) and internal complexity (represented by right-angle scatter) can resolve certain cell populations. Fluorescent dyes may bind or intercalate with different cellular components such as DNA or RNA. Additionally, antibodies conjugated to fluorescent dyes can bind specific proteins on cell membranes or inside cells. When labeled cells are passed by a light source, the fluorescent molecules are excited to a higher energy state. Upon returning to their resting states, the fluorochromes emit light energy at higher wavelengths. The use of multiple fluorochromes, each with similar excitation wavelengths and different emission wavelengths (or “colors”), allows several cell properties to be measured simultaneously. Commonly used dyes include propidium iodide, phycoerythrin, and fluorescein, although many other dyes are available. Tandem dyes with internal fluorescence resonance energy transfer can create even longer wavelengths and more colors.”

Applicable Federal Regulations

N/A

In 2006 a panel of subject matter experts was convened to define the clinical indications that warrant use of flow cytometry as well as the identity of the reagents that should be used in the initial and secondary evaluations for those conditions (Davis, 2007). The output of that gathering was the 2006 Bethesda International Consensus Recommendations on the Immunophenotypic Analysis of Hematolymphoid Neoplasia by Flow Cytometry. The panel indicated that flow cytometry is useful for the evaluation of cytopenias, elevated leukocyte count, observation of atypical cells or blasts and evaluation of body fluids, plasmacytosis or monoclonal gammopathy, organomegaly and tissue masses, and certain patient monitoring indications.

The Bethesda recommendations indicate that flow cytometry is not indicated for mature neutrophilia, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, polycythemia, thrombocytosis, and basophilia because “they are usually not associated with hematolymphoid malignancy or associated with hematolymphoid neoplasms that are not detectable by” flow cytometry.

The Bethesda recommendations also indicate that selection of reagents for the initial evaluation panel should be based on specimen type (peripheral blood, bone marrow, tissue, etc.), clinical information and cell morphology studies. They identify initial panels for specific indications that range from a total of 4 reagents to a maximum of 12 reagents.

For secondary evaluation, where the initial evaluation is not conclusive or informative, the Bethesda recommendations again identify groups of reagents that should be used, based on indication. The secondary panels ranged from 5 to 23 reagents.
Specific recommendations for the initial evaluation were:

• B cells: CD5, CD10, CD19, CD20, CD45, Kappa, Lambda 
• T cells and NK cells: CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD7, CD8, CD45, CD56
• Myelomonocytic cells: CD7, CD11b, CD13, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD33, CD34, CD45, CD56, CD117, HLA-DR 
• Myelomonocytic cells (limited): CD13, CD33, CD34, CD45 
• Plasma cells CD19, CD38, CD45, CD56

For secondary evaluation, the Bethesda recommendations were:

• B cells: CD9, CD11c, CD15, CD22, cCD22, CD23, CD25, CD13, CD33, CD34, CD38, CD43, CD58, cCD79a, CD79b, CD103, FMC7, Bcl-2, cKappa, cLambda, TdT, Zap-70, cIgM 
• T cells and NK cells: CD1a, cCD3, CD10, CD16, CD25, CD26, CD30, CD34, CD45RA, CD45RO, CD57, ab-TCR, gd-TCR, cTIA-1, T-beta chain isoforms, TdT 
• Myelomonocytic cells: CD2, CD4, CD25, CD36, CD38, CD41, CD61, cCD61, CD64, CD71, cMPO, CD123, CD163, CD235a 
• Plasma cells: CD10, CD117, CD138, cKappa, cLambda 

In 2006, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) updated the recommendations for the use of tumor marker tests in the prevention, screening, treatment, and surveillance of gastrointestinal cancers. They recommended that “Neither flow-cytometrically derived DNA ploidy (DNA index) nor DNA flow cytometric proliferation analysis (% S phase) should be used to determine prognosis of early-stage colorectal cancer.”

In 2007, ASCO updated the recommendations for the use of tumor marker tests in the prevention, screening, treatment, and surveillance of breast cancer (Harris et al, 2007). They noted that “DNA/ploidy by flow cytometry demonstrated insufficient evidence to support routine use in clinical practice”.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) offer guidelines regarding Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for Flow Cytometry

Billing/Coding/Physician Documentation Information

This policy may apply to the following codes. Inclusion of a code in this section does not guarantee that it will be reimbursed. For further information on reimbursement guidelines, please see Administrative Policies on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina web site at www.bcbsnc.com. They are listed in the Category Search on the Medical Policy search page.

The following reimbursement limitations will apply for flow cytometry:

• For flow cytometric immunophenotyping for the assessment of potential hematolymphoid neoplasia, use codes 88184-88189. 
• Code 88184 should be used for the first marker and is reimbursable as a single unit. 
• Code 88185 should be used for each additional marker, and is reimbursable up to 24 units. 
• Note that medical necessity for the number of markers tested and the specific indication for each marker over the 24 marker limit must be documented in the medical record. Additional units of 88185 (i.e. greater than 24 units) require prior authorization, based on documented medical necessity. 
• In patients with a neoplasm with an established immunophenotype, subsequent tests for that neoplasm should be limited to diagnostically relevant markers. 
• Codes 88187, 88188, and 88189 should not be used together in any combination. They are mutually exclusive and reimbursable as a single unit only. 
• Codes 88187-88189 should not be used in conjunction with codes 86355, 86356, 86357, 86359, 86360, 86361, 86367. 
• Use codes 86355, 86357, 86359, 86360, 86361, or 86367 for cell enumeration. These codes are reimbursable as single units only.
• Codes 88187-88189 should not be used in conjunction with codes 86355, 86356, 86357, 86359, 86360, 86361, 86367. 
• Use codes 86355, 86357, 86359, 86360, 86361, or 86367 for cell enumeration. These codes are reimbursable as single units only. 
• For flow cytometric immunophenotyping for the assessment of potential hematolymphoid neoplasia, use 88184-88189. 
• Do not report 88187-88189 for interpretation of 86355, 86356, 86357, 86359, 86360, 86361, and 86367.

Bill Type Codes

012x Hospital Inpatient (Medicare Part B only)

013x Hospital Outpatient

014x Hospital - Laboratory Services Provided to Non-patients

018x Hospital - Swing Beds

021x Skilled Nursing - Inpatient (Including Medicare Part A)

022x Skilled Nursing - Inpatient (Medicare Part B only)

023x Skilled Nursing - Outpatient

071x Clinic - Rural Health

077x Clinic - Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)

085x Critical Access Hospital

Group 1 Codes:

88182 Cell marker study

88184 Flowcytometry/ tc 1 marker

88185 Flowcytometry/tc add-on

88187 Flowcytometry/read 2-8 

88188 Flowcytometry/read 9-15

88189 Flowcytometry/read 16 & >  

Group 2: Quantitative Codes in immunology section
Group 2 Codes:

86355 B cells total count

86356 Mononuclear cell antigen

86357 Nk cells total count

86359 T cells total count

86360 T cell absolute count/ratio

86361 T cell absolute count

86367 Stem cells total count

Scientific Background and Reference Sources

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. (2017). Local coverage determination: Flow cytometry. Retrieved May 8, 2017

Davis, B., Holden, M., Bene, M., … and Stetler-Stevenson, M. (2006). 2006 Bethesda International consensus recommendations on the flow cytometric immunophenotypic analysis of hematolymphoid neoplasia: Medical indications. Cytometry Part B (Clinical Cytometry) 72B:S5–S13 (2007).

Harris, L., Fritsche, H., Mennel, R., et al (2007) American Society of Clinical Oncology. American Society of Clinical Oncology 2007 update of recommendations for the use of tumor markers in breast cancer. J Clin Oncol., 25(33):5287-5312.

Locker, G.Y., Hamilton, S., Harris, J., et al (2006). ASCO 2006 update of recommendations for the use of tumor markers in gastrointestinal cancer. J Clin Oncol., 24(33):5313-5327.

Verbsky, J., and Routes, J. (2017). Flow cytometry for the diagnosis of primary immunodeficiencies. Retrieved March 1, 2017,

Policy Implementation/Update Information

1/1/2019 New policy developed. Flow cytometry immunophenotyping of cell surface markers is considered medically necessary when criteria are met. Medical Director review 1/1/2019. Policy noticed 1/1/2019 for effective date 4/1/2019. (lpr)