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CPT 80048: Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP) — Eight-Analyte Chemistry
CPT code 80048 denotes a Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP), a common eight-analyte laboratory test that evaluates electrolytes, renal function, and glucose. Nationally, the BMP is a high-volume diagnostic panel used across inpatient and outpatient settings to support diagnosis, medication management, and monitoring of acute and chronic conditions. It is an essential component of routine metabolic assessment in clinical practice.
This analysis covers major national payers including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find concise benchmarking and policy context related to coverage and coding of the BMP, comparisons with related panels, and clinical context for common use cases. The content outlines how CPT code 80048 fits within laboratory testing workflows and its relationship to other metabolic and chemistry panels.
Key takeaways include the clinical intent of the test, payer coverage landscape, and operational considerations for submitting CPT code 80048. The publication highlights differences between the BMP and broader panels, helping readers understand appropriate code selection and expected sites of service. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 80048 describes a Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP) in which a laboratory analyst measures eight blood chemistries: total calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide, glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine. This panel is a routine clinical laboratory test used to assess metabolic status, electrolyte balance, renal function, and glucose levels.
Service Type: Clinical laboratory testing — basic metabolic panel
Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory or outpatient phlebotomy site, including hospital laboratory, independent lab, and outpatient clinic settings.
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National commercial pricing for CPT 80048 centers around the BUCA average commercial rate of $34.6, with notable variation among major payers. Blue Cross Blue Shield posts the highest dispersion, with a P75–P25 range of $27.0 ($66.0 minus $34.0), reflecting substantial spread in contracted rates; Aetna’s spread is $9.0 ($14.8 minus $6.0), Cigna’s spread is $6.6 ($11.7 minus $5.1), and UnitedHealth Group’s spread is $4.8 ($8.5 minus $3.7). These differences indicate that Blue Cross Blue Shield agreements are the most variable while UnitedHealth Group and Cigna provide comparatively tighter distributions around their medians.
Looking at central tendencies, Blue Cross Blue Shield also shows a high mean of $52.9 and a median of $49.9, contrasting with UnitedHealth Group’s mean of $7.4 and median of $5.1. Aetna’s mean is $14.3 with a median of $8.5, and Cigna’s mean is $9.3 with a median of $8.3. Blue Cross Blue Shield’s combination of higher central values and the widest P75–P25 range suggests both higher average commercial payment levels and greater variability in contract pricing for this code compared with other national payers.