In simple words: This code covers one unit of red blood cells that have been treated to remove white blood cells and irradiated to make them safer for transfusion, especially for those with weakened immune systems.

This code represents a single unit of red blood cells that have undergone leukoreduction (removal of white blood cells) and irradiation. It is used for transfusions in patients where minimizing the risk of transfusion reactions or graft-versus-host disease is crucial.

Example 1: A patient with a compromised immune system requires a blood transfusion. P9040 is used to bill for each unit of leukoreduced and irradiated red blood cells they receive to minimize the risks of adverse reactions., An individual undergoing a bone marrow transplant receives leukoreduced and irradiated red blood cells. P9040 is billed for each transfused unit to prevent transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease., A patient with a history of severe allergic reactions to blood transfusions requires red blood cells. Leukoreduced, irradiated red blood cells are ordered, and each unit is billed using P9040 to lower the risk of an allergic reaction.

Documentation should support the medical necessity of leukoreduced and irradiated blood, such as the patient's diagnosis, history of transfusion reactions, or immunocompromised status. The number of units transfused should also be clearly documented.