Summary & Overview
CPT 0587U: SafeDrugs LC MS/MS Drug Panel with Algorithm Risk Score
CPT code 0587U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code assigned to the SafeDrugs test from Astraeus Lab LLC and Quantlio Technologies. The test employs liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC MS/MS) on urine or saliva to quantify a broad panel of drugs and metabolites, verify sample integrity, and produce an algorithm-generated risk score indicating potential for adverse drug interactions or toxicity. As a PLA code, 0587U applies only to this specific manufacturer’s assay, which affects coding clarity and payer review.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise national overview of what the code represents, typical sites of service, and clinical context for laboratory-based drug monitoring and toxicity risk assessment. The publication summarizes common modifiers and highlights where data was not provided.
This report helps billing managers, laboratory directors, and policy analysts understand the clinical function of the assay, the limited scope of a PLA code, and the payer landscape to consider when coding and submitting claims. Data not available in the input are noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0587U is a Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) code that applies uniquely to the SafeDrugs test manufactured by Astraeus Lab LLC and Quantlio Technologies. The assay uses liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC MS/MS) to quantify a broad panel of drugs and their metabolites in urine or saliva, confirm sample integrity, and generate an algorithm-derived risk score estimating a patient’s likelihood of adverse drug interactions or toxicity.
Service type: Proprietary laboratory test using LC MS/MS with algorithm-generated risk scoring.
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or outpatient specimen collection site (urine or saliva).
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old patient with chronic pain and multiple outpatient prescriptions presents to a primary care clinic for medication management after recent reports of dizziness and gastrointestinal upset. The clinician orders a urine-based toxicology panel, 0587U (SafeDrugs, Astraeus Lab LLC / Quantlio Technologies), to quantify prescribed and non-prescribed drugs and metabolites, confirm sample integrity, and generate an algorithm-derived risk score for potential adverse drug interactions or toxicity. The specimen is collected in clinic (urine or saliva), sent to the performing laboratory, and results are routed to the prescribing clinician. The laboratory performs LC-MS/MS analysis, assesses specimen validity, and provides a numeric risk score used by the clinician during a follow-up visit to guide medication reconciliation and risk assessment. Typical sites of service include outpatient primary care clinics, pain management clinics, behavioral health clinics, and outpatient laboratory collection centers.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Default professional and technical components intact (no modifier) | Use when test is billed as the single PLA code without special circumstances. |
22 |