81536 CPT® code: payer coverage and prior authorization34 of 36 payer prior-auth lists that name 81536 require prior authorization or set conditions: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Humana, Molina Complete Care (Virginia), Molina Healthcare of Arizona, Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Florida, Molina Healthcare of Idaho, Molina Healthcare of Iowa, Molina Healthcare of Michigan, Molina Healthcare of Mississippi, Molina Healthcare of Nevada, Molina Healthcare of New Mexico, Molina Healthcare of Ohio, Molina Healthcare of South Carolina, Molina Healthcare of Texas, Molina Healthcare of Utah, Molina Healthcare of Washington, Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin, and others.
| Payer | Plan | State | Prior auth | Conditions | Since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | AZ Blue-administered Medicare Advantage (M2K) | AZ | prior auth required | Sep 1, 2026 | AZ Blue Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (Effective 09/01/2026) | |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | Standard PA code list (most commercial plans) | AZ | prior auth under conditions | eviCore-delegated groups only | Sep 1, 2026 | AZ Blue Standard Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (09/01/2026) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) | State of Arizona employee group (SYD, S3Z) | AZ | prior auth required | Sep 1, 2026 | State of Arizona Group Prior Authorization Requirements Code List (09/01/2026) | |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | Blue Cross Community Health Plans (BCCHP), Illinois Medicaid | IL | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2026 | Illinois Medicaid Prior Authorization Code List, Effective 10/1/2026 | |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | Blue Cross Community MMAI (Medicare-Medicaid Alignment Initiative) | IL | prior auth required | eviCore-managed | Jan 1, 2025 | Procedure Code List, Effective 1/1/2025 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas | Texas PA exemption (gold card), outpatient, fully insured | TX | prior auth required | Gold-card exemption available | Jul 1, 2026 | BCBSTX Outpatient Prior Authorization Exemption Clinical Guidelines (max units, PA exempt date range) |
| Humana | Humana Healthy Horizons | SC | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2027 | Humana Healthy Horizons in South Carolina Prior authorization and Notification List The following list describes services and medications that are commonly reviewed and may require additional clinical | |
| Humana | Humana Healthy Horizons | VA | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2027 | Humana Healthy Horizons in Virginia Prior Authorization and Notification List (PAL) | |
| Humana | Humana Puerto Rico MA and Dual Medicare-Medicaid | PR | prior auth required | Nov 3, 2025 | Puerto Rico Medicare Advantage and Dual Medicare-Medicaid Plans Preauthorization and Notification List Puerto Rico Medicare Advantage and Dual Medicare-Medicaid Plan Preauthorization and Notification | |
| Humana | Oak Street Health | All | prior auth required | Oak Street Health (Humana): Prior Authorization List (PAL) Codes Under Management | ||
| Molina Complete Care (Virginia) | Medicare-only PA matrix for D-SNP | VA | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2022 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Virginia), effective Q1 2022 | |
| Molina Complete Care (Virginia) | Medicaid | VA | prior auth required | Apr 1, 2025 | Virginia Medicaid PA Code Matrix and Virginia code/benefit exceptions, effective Q2 2025 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Arizona | Medicare-only PA matrix for D-SNP | AZ | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2022 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Arizona), effective Q1 2022 | |
| Molina Healthcare of California | Medicare Advantage | CA | prior auth required | Jul 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (California), effective Q3 2021 | |
| Molina Healthcare of California | Medicaid | CA | prior auth required | State exception | Apr 1, 2026 | Medicaid Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (California), effective Q2 2026 |
| Molina Healthcare of Florida | Medicare Advantage | FL | prior auth required | vendor review only eviCore in IL/MI/OH/NY/WI | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Florida), effective Q2 2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Idaho | Medicare Advantage | ID | prior auth required | vendor review only eviCore in IL/MI/OH/NY/WI | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Idaho), effective Q2 2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Idaho | Medicaid | ID | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2025 | Idaho Medicaid Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix and Idaho code/benefit exceptions, Q1 2025 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Iowa | Medicaid | IA | prior auth required | Jul 1, 2023 | IA Prior Authorization Matrix, effective Q3 2023 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Michigan | Exchange | MI | prior auth required | Contact eviCore for PA | Jul 1, 2021 | Molina Healthcare of Michigan PA Matrix, effective 7/1/2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Mississippi | Medicaid | MS | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2025 | Mississippi Medicaid Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix and exceptions, effective Q1 2025 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Nevada | Medicaid | NV | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2022 | Medicaid Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix, effective Q4 2022 | |
| Molina Healthcare of New Mexico | Medicare Advantage | NM | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (New Mexico), effective Q1 2021 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Ohio | Medicare and MyCare Ohio (MMP) Medicare | OH | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2023 | Molina Healthcare of Ohio Prior Authorization (PA) Code List, effective 2023-10-01 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Ohio | Exchange | OH | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2023 | Molina Healthcare of Ohio Prior Authorization (PA) Code List, effective 2023-10-01 | |
| Molina Healthcare of South Carolina | Medicare Advantage | SC | prior auth required | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (South Carolina), effective Q2 2021 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Texas | STAR | TX | prior auth required | Feb 19, 2025 | Molina Healthcare of Texas Prior Authorization Annual Review Report (STAR), reviewed 2025-02-19 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Texas | STAR+PLUS | TX | prior auth required | Feb 19, 2025 | Molina Healthcare of Texas Prior Authorization Annual Review Report (STAR+PLUS), reviewed 2025-02-19 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Utah | Medicare Advantage | UT | prior auth required | vendor review only eviCore in IL/MI/OH/NY/WI | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Utah), effective Q2 2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Utah | Medicaid | UT | prior auth required | Jan 1, 2025 | Utah Medicaid Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix and Utah code/benefit exceptions, Q1 2025 | |
| Molina Healthcare of Washington | Medicare Advantage | WA | prior auth required | vendor review only eviCore in IL/MI/OH/NY/WI | Apr 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Washington), effective Q2 2021 |
| Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin | Medicare Advantage | WI | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (Wisconsin), effective Q4 2021 | |
| Molina Healthcare, Inc. (national grid) | Molina national (MHI) Medicare grid | All | prior auth required | Oct 1, 2021 | Medicare Prior Auth (PA) Code Matrix (national), effective Q4 2021 | |
| Rocky Mountain Health Plans | Rocky Mountain Medicare Advantage D-SNP | CO | prior auth required | Feb 1, 2025 | Rocky Mountain Health Plans Medicare Advantage Dual-Special Needs Plans – prior authorization Effective February 1, 2025 |
81536 appears in 9 coverage policies from Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Blue Cross NC, Blue Shield of California, Cigna, Regence.
| Payer | Policy | Role in policy | Reviewed | Document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | Tumor Chemosensitivity Assays (0245) | not covered | Apr 13, 2026 | payer document |
| Anthem | In Vitro Chemosensitivity Assays and In Vitro Chemoresistance Assays (CG-LAB-40) | not covered | Aug 13, 2026 | payer document |
| Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi | Comprehensive Genomic Profiling For Selecting Targeted Cancer Therapies (A.2.04.115) | unproven / investigational | payer document | |
| Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi | In Vitro Chemoresistance And Chemosensitivity Assays (L.2.03.403) | unproven / investigational | payer document | |
| Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island | In Vitro Chemoresistance and Chemosensitivity Assays | not covered | Mar 4, 2026 | payer document |
| Blue Cross NC | In Vitro Chemoresistance and Chemosensitivity Assays AHS- G2100 | listed, no stance | Nov 1, 2025 | payer document |
| Blue Shield of California | Laboratory Testing Investigational Services (2.04.159) | listed, no stance | payer document | |
| Cigna | Tumor In Vitro Chemosensitivity and Chemoresistance Assays (0203) | unproven / investigational | Apr 15, 2026 | payer document |
| Regence | In Vitro Chemoresistance and Chemosensitivity Assays (Laboratory 06) | listed, no stance | Feb 1, 2026 | payer document |
Prior authorization required or conditional in IN, MS, ND.
From payers' published prior-auth lists, coverage policies and state Medicaid fee schedules, updated Oct 16, 2026. The role is what the policy's own code table or text says about the code. Not a guarantee of coverage or payment; verify with the payer. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.