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CPT 46600: Anoscopy with Anal Canal Specimen Collection
CPT code 46600 denotes an anoscopy with collection of anal canal specimens for laboratory analysis. This diagnostic procedure is used to evaluate anorectal symptoms and to obtain cytologic or microbiologic samples for further testing. Nationally, anoscopy with sampling plays a role in diagnosing causes of rectal bleeding, anal lesions, and other anorectal complaints, and it can inform medical management and referral decisions.
Key payers included in this analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find concise clinical context about the procedure, typical sites of service, and common clinical indications. The publication outlines where 46600 sits in clinical workflows and links to related procedural codes for comprehensive billing context.
This summary equips billing managers, clinicians, and revenue-cycle professionals with a clear understanding of what CPT code 46600 represents and why it is relevant across outpatient and ambulatory settings. Data not available in the input are noted where applicable; the focus is on clinical description, payers covered, and practical billing context rather than recommendations.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 46600 describes an anoscopy with collection of anal canal samples. The procedure uses a small, rigid tubular instrument called an anoscope to examine the anus and distal rectum. During the procedure, the provider collects samples for laboratory diagnostic analysis by brushing or washing the anal canal.
Service type: Diagnostic procedural exam with specimen collection
Typical site of service: Office, outpatient clinic, or ambulatory procedure suite
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National averages place Medicare and BUCA (average commercial) in similar territory: Medicare mean rate is $134.3 while BUCA’s mean is $135.2, indicating near parity between federal payment levels and this commercial aggregate. The proximity of these means suggests that, on average, BUCA reimbursements align closely with Medicare for CPT 46600, though BUCA’s quartiles (P25 $88.8, P50 $116.8, P75 $174.2) imply a broader spread within that commercial grouping.
Dispersion measured as P75 minus P25 highlights which payers are tightest and widest. Blue Cross Blue Shield shows a range of $78.8 (P75 $187.7 minus P25 $110.9), Cigna’s range is $110.1, UnitedHealth Group’s range is $100.4, Aetna’s range is $80.5, and BUCA’s range is $85.4; Medicare’s interquartile spread is $17 (P75 $140 minus P25 $123), the tightest of the set. Cigna exhibits the widest IQR at $110.1, indicating the greatest middle‑50% variability.