LCD/NCD Portal

NCD100.5 DIAGNOSTIC BREATH ANALYSES

 

 

Effective Date of this Version

6/12/1984

 

 

Benefit Category

 

• Diagnostic Tests (other).

• Note: This may not be an exhaustive list of all applicable Medicare benefit categories for this item or service.

 

 

Item/Service Description

 

• Diagnostic breath analyses are tests performed to measure either the hydrogen or carbon dioxide content of the breath after the ingestion of certain compounds.

• The analyses are performed to diagnose certain gastrointestinal disease states.

 

 

Indications and Limitations of Coverage

 

• The Following Breath Test is Covered:

o Lactose breath hydrogen to detect lactose malabsorption.

• The Following Breath Tests are EXCLUDED from Coverage:

o Lactulose breath hydrogen for diagnosing small bowel bacterial overgrowth and measuring small bowel transit time.

o CO2 for diagnosing bile acid malabsorption.

o CO2 for diagnosing fat malabsorption.

 

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