Urine Culture, Bacterial

Medicare covers bacterial urine cultures when there is an abnormal urinalysis suggesting infection, when patients have signs or symptoms of UTI (including atypical presentations in elderly or immunocompromised patients), for suspected urosepsis or systemic infection without a source, and selectively for preoperative evaluation or in transplant recipients. Routine screening in asymptomatic individuals (including prenatal screening considered screening by Medicare) and routine test-of-cure for uncomplicated UTI are not covered; CPT 87086 is limited to one billing per encounter while CPT 87088/87184/87186 may be billed multiple times as clinically indicated.

"Urine culture is indicated when a patient's urinalysis is abnormal suggesting UTI (e."

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