Definitive identification of an aerobic bacterial isolate grown in culture, reported once for each separate organism the lab works up.
- Medicare
- $0.00
- Work RVU
- 0
- Global, days
- Region
- Multi-region
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓
- Primary culture code and specimen source
- Number of distinct isolates identified on the lab report
- Clinical reason definitive identification is needed
- Diagnosis code for the infection being treated
- Link to the treatment plan, such as antibiotic choice
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 3 cited references ↓
87077 reports definitive identification of an aerobic isolate, one unit per organism. The lab uses it after a culture code like 87070 or 87071 has already grown something and the presumptive identification is not enough to guide treatment.
In orthopedics this matters most in periprosthetic joint infection and osteomyelitis. A revision case may send five tissue samples, and if the same organism grows in several, the lab identifies it and the surgical team uses that to choose a long-course antibiotic. Coagulase-negative staph, Cutibacterium in shoulder cases, and mixed flora in diabetic foot infections all lead to extra identification work.
Units should equal the number of distinct isolates identified, as stated on the lab report. It can follow a positive blood culture (87040) too, because that code includes only presumptive identification. Susceptibility testing is still separate. Most denials come from units that do not match the lab report or from 87077 billed with no positive primary culture behind it.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
| Work RVU | 0 |
| Practice expense RVU | 0 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0 |
| Total RVU | 0 |
| Medicare national rate | $0.00 |
| Global period | days |
Payment by site of service
Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.
Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026
| Setting | Medicare rate (national) |
|---|---|
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office | $0.00 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 87077 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Lab report shows only presumptive identification
- Units exceed the number of isolates on the report
- No primary culture code on the claim
- Billed by the ordering practice instead of the lab
- Missing modifier for separate isolates where the payer requires it
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01How many units of 87077 can be billed?
02Can 87077 be billed with 87040?
03Is 87077 billed by the surgeon?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
- 01CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2026
- 02CMS Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule 2026
- 03cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/national-correct-coding-initiative-ncci-edits
Mira Scribe
Mira Scribe records the surgeon's infection concern and antibiotic plan, which gives the lab work-up a clear clinical purpose in the chart.
See how Mira captures CPT 87077 documentation