TRICARE Manuals - Display Chap 7 Sect 2.4 (Change 48, Mar 17, 2026)

Medicine

Chapter 7

Section 2.4

Cervical Cancer Screening

Issue Date: February 23, 1994

Authority: 32 CFR 199.4(g)(1), (g)(2), and (g)(37)

Revision: C-48, March 17, 2026

1.0 CPT CODES

87620 - 87622, 88141 - 88155, 88164 - 88167, 99201 - 99215, or 99301 - 99313

2.0 DESCRIPTION

2.1 Papanicolaou (PAPPap) testing, also referred to as cervical cytology or a Pap smear, is an exfoliative cytological staining procedure for the detection and diagnosis of various conditions, particularly malignant and premalignant conditions of the female genital tract. PAP Pap tests are performed as either a diagnostic or screening test. For TRICARE purposes diagnostic PAP Pap tests are tests performed on symptomatic females presenting with signs or symptoms of malignant or premalignant disease or pregnancy; screening PAP Pap tests are performed on asymptomatic females who do not present with signs or symptoms of cervical or medical disease.

2.2 Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing detects certain strains of HPV that may cause cervical cancer. HPV testing may be performed as a screening test in conjunction with or separately from a Pap test. Reflex testing refers to a diagnostic HPV test performed after a Pap test indicates Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance (ASCUS) or low-grade dysplasia of cervical cells.

3.0 POLICY

3.1 Cervical PAP Pap tests are covered on either a diagnostic or screening basis. (For additional information on screening PAP Pap tests, see the Clinical Preventive Services sections in Chapter 7.)

3.2 HPV testing is covered as a screening test (see the Clinical Preventive Services sections in Chapter 7) or as reflex testing (see Chapter 6, Section 1.1).

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