Brush biopsies

Since the American Dental Association has assigned it an exclusive CDT code and insurance carriers recognize the relationship between oral and systemic diseases and the potential to identify life-threatening lesions in their infancy, more and more are beginning to provide benefits for brush biopsies.

The taking of the biopsy, which includes the materials, will usually be covered by the dental plan while the actual cost for the analysis and pathology report is often the responsibility of the patient's medical carrier.

Be cautious here. Many medical carriers have agreements with certain pathology labs that include discounts and prohibit or reduce benefits to labs not in this "network". Physicians are more familiar with these agreements and what labs participate. Before preforming a biopsy, check with the patient's medical carrier to make sure that benefits are available for the lab you will have to use to avoid benefit problems.

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