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AetnaAll Plans · Coverage · Behavioral Health · Psychiatry, PathologyMedium impact

Laboratory Tests for Depression and Other Psychiatric Disorders (CPB 0306, reviewed 2026-06-08)

Effective date
Not stated in the notice
Identified
Aug 16, 2026

Summary

Aetna considers the dexamethasone suppression test medically necessary only when a psychiatrist requests it to differentiate psychotic depression from schizophrenia. The policy considers the test experimental, investigational, or unproven for diagnosing major depressive disorder, selecting medications for major depressive illness, and diagnosing or managing borderline personality disorder or post-traumatic stress syndrome. It also considers MindX blood tests, microRNA measurement, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte, monocyte-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios for diagnosing depression, and the TruD MDS bipolar, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia tests experimental, investigational, or unproven.

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What to do

Action · 5 steps
01Billing team: Bill the dexamethasone suppression test only when a psychiatrist requests it as an aid to differentiate psychotic depression from schizophrenia.
02Do not bill the dexamethasone suppression test for diagnosing major depressive disorder, selecting medications for major depressive illness, or diagnosing or managing borderline personality disorder or post-traumatic stress syndrome, because the policy considers those uses experimental, investigational, or unproven.
03CPT 80420 (dexamethasone suppression panel, 48 hours) is listed as not covered for the indications in this policy.
04The MindX Blood Test codes 0290U, 0291U, 0292U, 0293U, 0294U and 0437U and the TruD MDS codes 0618U, 0622U and 0627U are listed as not covered for the indications in this policy, and do not bill microRNA measurement or the neutrophil-, monocyte- and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio tests for diagnosing depression.
05Do not bill these tests with ICD-10 codes the policy lists as not covered, such as F01.50 to F99 mental and behavioral disorders, G89.0 central pain syndrome, R52 pain, Z13.30 to Z13.39 mental health screening, and Z13.89 depression screening.

Codes mentioned

80420F01.50G89.0G89.4R52Z13.89

Original notice

Laboratory Tests for Depression and Other Psychiatric Disorders (CPB 0306, reviewed 2026-06-08)
aetna.com · Always check the source before changing claims.
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Related policy hubs

Aetna policiesPsychiatryPathologyCode 80420Code F01.50Code G89.0Code G89.4Code R52Code Z13.89

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