U0005 — Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (dna or rna); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-cov-2) (coronavirus disease [covid-19]), amplified probe technique, cdc or non-cdc, making use of high throughput technologies, completed within 2 calendar days from date of specimen collection (list separately in addition to either hcpcs code u0003 or u0004) as described by cms-2020-01-r2
U0005 is a HCPCS Level II code for infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (dna or rna); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-cov-2) (coronavirus disease [covid-19]), amplified probe technique, cdc or non-cdc, making use of high throughput technologies, completed within 2 calendar days from date of specimen collection (list separately in addition to either hcpcs code u0003 or u0004) as described by cms-2020-01-r2. It belongs to the Coronavirus Diagnostic Panel section. It was terminated on May 11, 2023 and is not valid on new claims.
This code has been terminated
CMS terminated U0005 on May 11, 2023. It stays in the file as history — a claim you are auditing from before that date may legitimately carry it — but it must not appear on a new claim. The adjacent codes below are the usual place to look for its replacement.
Medicare coverage: Carrier judgment
Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.
From the coverage field of the CMS Alpha-Numeric HCPCS File, release 2026Q3-Jul. This states Medicare’s position on the code, not on your particular claim.
The CMS record for U0005
- Long descriptor
- Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (dna or rna); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-cov-2) (coronavirus disease [covid-19]), amplified probe technique, cdc or non-cdc, making use of high throughput technologies, completed within 2 calendar days from date of specimen collection (list separately in addition to either hcpcs code u0003 or u0004) as described by cms-2020-01-r2
- Short descriptor
- Infec agen detec ampli probe
- Added
- January 1, 2021
- Terminated
- May 11, 2023
- BETOS
- T1H
- Pricing indicator
- 22 — Clinical lab fee schedule
The official wording. This is what the code means.
CMS's 28-character form, which is what shows up on a remittance advice.
When CMS introduced the code.
When CMS retired it.
Berenson-Eggers Type of Service — CMS's own analytic grouping.
Price established by carriers — gap-fills or carrier-established panels.
Codes adjacent to U0005
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If U0005 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- T4544Adult sized disposable incontinence product, protective underwear/pull-on, above extra large, each
- T4545Incontinence product, disposable, penile wrap, each
- T5001Positioning seat for persons with special orthopedic needs
- T5999Supply, not otherwise specified
- U0001Cdc 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-ncov) real-time rt-pcr diagnostic panel
- U00022019-ncov coronavirus, sars-cov-2/2019-ncov (covid-19), any technique, multiple types or subtypes (includes all targets), non-cdc
- U0003Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (dna or rna); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-cov-2) (coronavirus disease [covid-19]), amplified probe technique, making use of high throughput technologies as described by cms-2020-01-rterminated
- U00042019-ncov coronavirus, sars-cov-2/2019-ncov (covid-19), any technique, multiple types or subtypes (includes all targets), non-cdc, making use of high throughput technologies as described by cms-2020-01-rterminated
- V2020Frames, purchases
- V2025Deluxe frame
- V2100Sphere, single vision, plano to plus or minus 4.00, per lens
- V2101Sphere, single vision, plus or minus 4.12 to plus or minus 7.00d, per lens
- V2102Sphere, single vision, plus or minus 7.12 to plus or minus 20.00d, per lens
- V2103Spherocylinder, single vision, plano to plus or minus 4.00d sphere, .12 to 2.00d cylinder, per lens
- V2104Spherocylinder, single vision, plano to plus or minus 4.00d sphere, 2.12 to 4.00d cylinder, per lens
- V2105Spherocylinder, single vision, plano to plus or minus 4.00d sphere, 4.25 to 6.00d cylinder, per lens
Questions about U0005
What is HCPCS code U0005?
U0005 is a HCPCS Level II code for infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (dna or rna); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-cov-2) (coronavirus disease [covid-19]), amplified probe technique, cdc or non-cdc, making use of high throughput technologies, completed within 2 calendar days from date of specimen collection (list separately in addition to either hcpcs code u0003 or u0004) as described by cms-2020-01-r2. It sits in the Coronavirus Diagnostic Panel section.
Does Medicare cover U0005?
The CMS HCPCS file marks U0005 as "Carrier judgment". Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.
Is U0005 still valid?
No. U0005 was terminated on May 11, 2023 and should not be used on new claims.