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VSAC Support Center

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Updated COVID-19 Provisional Codes in VSAC

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Value Set Authority Center (VSAC) is pleased to announce that we have updated VSAC with several additional provisional terminology codes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of 4/23/2020, the following standard terminologies (CPT®, LOINC®, and SNOMED CT®) have added provisional codes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the most up to date information available at the time of their creation:

Code System VSAC Code System Version Additional Information
CPT Provisional_2020-04-20 CPT COVID-19 coding and guidance
HCPCS Provisional_2020-03-26 CMS Develops Additional Code for Coronavirus Lab Tests, 3/5/2020
ICD-10-CM Provisional_2020-03-26 New ICD-10-CM code for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), 3/18/2020
LOINC Provisional_2020-04-20 LOINC Prerelease Terms, Special Use Codes Only
SNOMED CT Provisional_2020-04-23 Pre-Release COVID-19 Related Content

The “VSAC Code System Version” designation is a VSAC-created element based on the VSAC acquisition date of the provisional codes. Each VSAC provisional code system version contains all provisional codes, cumulatively, until the terminology incorporates their provisional codes into a formal release.

Be aware that downstream users may not be ready to handle prerelease codes until they are published in an official terminology release.Be aware that downstream users may not be ready to handle prerelease codes until they are published in an official terminology release.


The SNOMED CT US Edition 20200301 included COVID-19 related codes in the formal release. The INTERIM March 2020 International Edition release, created as part of the ongoing global effort to tackle the Coronavirus outbreak, provided updated Coronavirus descriptions for Members and implementers. VSAC updated the SNOMED CT US Edition 20200301 descriptions accordingly, on 04/03/2020. See SNOMED CT COVID-19 Related Content--Released & Published Content

See our VSAC Support Center page on how to include provisional codes in your VSAC value sets.

Questions? Contact Us

Last Reviewed: July 15, 2020