CommercialBilling CodesMedium impact
Special and Immunohistochemical Stains for Microscopic Evaluation of Esophageal and Gastric Tissue
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi·MS · Pathology, Gastroenterology·Medical Policy
Effective date
Oct 1, 2024
We identified it
Jun 20, 2026
Summary
BCBS Mississippi updated their policy on special and immunohistochemical stains for esophageal and gastric tissue evaluation. The policy clarifies when these additional stains are medically necessary versus routine, and adds new ICD-10 codes for certain lymphomas and plasma cell disorders while removing deleted codes.
Action Required
Immediately: Update billing system and coding references to include new ICD-10 diagnosis codes C86.00, C86.01, C86.10, C86.20, C86.21, C86.30, C86.31, C86.40, C86.41, C86.50, C86.51, C86.60, C88.00, C88.20, C88.30, C88.40, and C88.90. Remove deleted code D48.1 from system. Ensure pathology billing staff understand that special stains must meet specific medical necessity criteria and cannot be billed as routine or reflex orders without pathologist review of H&E stains first.