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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesUrinalysis ProceduresCPT cpt-81000-urinalysis-dip-stick-and-microscopic-exam
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    CPT 81000: Manual Urinalysis with Microscopy

    CPT code 81000 describes a manual urinalysis procedure in which a laboratory analyst performs dipstick or reagent tablet testing on a freshly collected urine specimen and then conducts microscopic examination of the centrifuged sediment under low and high power to report one or more analytes and microscopic findings; service type: manual urinalysis with microscopy; typical site of service: clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory processing point-of-care specimens.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Vafseo (vadadustat) for anemia in CKD on dialysis, Metabolic Disorders - Cysteamine (Oral) Products for Individual and Family Plans, Kerendia (finerenone) — Coverage Criteria.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient is a 45-year-old adult presenting to an outpatient clinic or urgent care with urinary symptoms such as dysuria, frequency, or suspected urinary tract infection, or a hospitalized patient needing routine urinalysis monitoring (for example, monitoring fluid status or screening for hematuria). The clinical workflow begins with specimen collection: a freshly voided midstream urine specimen is collected in a labeled container. A trained laboratory analyst or medical assistant performs a point-of-care or laboratory urinalysis using a reagent dipstick or reagent tablet to evaluate one or more analytes (for example, leukocyte esterase, nitrite, protein, glucose, blood, pH, specific gravity). After the prescribed reaction time, the analyst manually reads the color changes against a manufacturer-provided chart and documents the results. If microscopic analysis is ordered, the specimen is centrifuged, the sediment is placed on a slide, and the analyst examines it under low and high power to report cells, casts, crystals, and organisms. Results are reported in the laboratory information system and communicated to the ordering clinician for diagnosis and management decisions. Typical sites of service include hospital laboratories, outpatient clinic laboratories, urgent care centers, and independent clinical laboratories. The service type is a clinical laboratory diagnostic test performed by a laboratory analyst with both chemical (dipstick/tablet) and microscopic components.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    81002Urinalysis, by dipstick or tablet reagent; without microscopyAlternative to 81000 when only dipstick testing is done and no microscopy is performed.
    87086Urine culture, bacterial, quantitative colony count, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolatesPerformed when dipstick/microscopy suggests infection to identify pathogen and guide antibiotic therapy.
    81025Urine pregnancy test, by visual color comparison methodsOften performed alongside urinalysis in women of childbearing potential to assess pregnancy status.
    82565Urine creatinine, quantitativeUsed when assessment of urine concentration or creatinine clearance is needed in conjunction with urinalysis.
    82550Urine protein, qualitative; dipstickMay be performed with or as part of urinalysis to assess for proteinuria; sometimes separately reported.

    Related Modifiers

    8 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    90Modifier ‑90 (Reference/Outside Laboratory) indicates that a laboratory test was performed by an entity other than the treating or reporting provider. The American Medical Association defines…- Use CPT modifier -90 when a laboratory test is performed by an outside/reference laboratory (an entity other than the treating or reporting physician or qualified professional) and the claim needs…
    91Modifier 91 — “Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test” — is appended when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once for the same patient on the same day because serial,…- Use modifier 91 when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once on the same patient on the same date because serial or repeated testing is medically necessary to monitor…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    95Modifier 95 indicates that a service was provided via synchronous, real‑time audio‑video telehealth rather than in‑person. Per CMS, AAPC and professional associations, append modifier 95 to claim…- Use modifier 95 to indicate a service was furnished via synchronous, real‑time audiovisual telehealth (a live audio‑video conference between patient and provider) rather than in‑person. - Pair…
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207L00000X
    207Q00000X
    261QP2300X
    207R00000X
    163WC1600X
    261QC1800X
    163WU0100X
    246ZG1000X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    25 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A54.01Gonococcal cystitis and urethritis, unspecified
    A56.00Chlamydial infection of lower genitourinary tract, unspecified
    E11.22Type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic chronic kidney disease
    E11.29Type 2 diabetes mellitus with other diabetic kidney complication
    E11.65Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hyperglycemia
    N10Acute pyelonephritis
    N13.6Pyonephrosis
    N20.0Calculus of kidney
    N20.1Calculus of ureter
    N30.00Acute cystitis without hematuria

    Showing 1–10 of 25

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Nephrology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Vafseo (vadadustat) for anemia in CKD on dialysisCigna2026-08-15
    Metabolic Disorders - Cysteamine (Oral) Products for Individual and Family PlansCigna2026-08-15
    Kerendia (finerenone) — Coverage CriteriaBlue Cross Blue Shield - Iowa2026-08-05
    Voyxact (sibeprenlimab-szsl) — Prior authorization / medical necessity for primary IgA nephropathyColorado Rocky Mountain Health Plans2026-08-01
    Oxlumo (lumasiran) and Rivfloza (nedosiran) — Coverage Criteria (Ohio)Colorado Rocky Mountain Health Plans2026-08-01
    Korsuva (difelikefalin) — Medical Benefit Drug Coverage Criteria (Ohio)Colorado Rocky Mountain Health Plans2026-08-01
    Complement Inhibitors - EmpaveliCigna2026-08-01
    Tolvaptan (Jynarque)Cigna2026-08-01
    Nephrology - Filspari (sparsentan) coverageCigna2026-08-01
    Rivfloza (nedosiran) prior authorization for PH1UnitedHealthcare2026-08-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-81001-URINALYSIS-DIPSTICK-OR-TABLET-REAGENT

    CPT 81001: Urinalysis by Dipstick or Tablet Reagent

    CPT-81002-MANUAL-URINALYSIS-REAGENT-STRIP-TABLET

    CPT 81002: Manual Urine Dipstick Chemical Analysis

    CPT-81003-AUTOMATED-URINE-DIPSTICK-ANALYSIS

    CPT 81003: Automated Urinalysis Dipstick with Instrumented Reader

    CPT-81005-URINE-ANALYTE-QUALITATIVE-SEMIQUANTITATIVE

    CPT 81005: Urine Qualitative or Semiquantitative Analyte Test

    CPT-81007-URINE-BACTERIURIA-NONCULTURE-NONDIPSTICK-TEST

    CPT 81007: Nonculture, Nondipstick Urinalysis for Bacteriuria

    CPT-81015-MICROSCOPIC-URINALYSIS-LABORATORY-EXAMINATION

    CPT 81015: Microscopic Urinalysis, Sediment Examination

    CPT-81020-MICROSCOPIC-URINALYSIS-MULTIPLE-GLASS-COLLECTIONS

    CPT 81020: Microscopic Urine Examination of Multiple Specimens

    CPT-81025-URINE-PREGNANCY-TEST-VISUAL-READ

    CPT 81025: Urine Pregnancy Test, Analyst-Read Visual

    CPT-81050-TIMED-URINE-COLLECTION-VOLUME-MEASUREMENT

    CPT 81050: Timed Urine Volume Measurement

    CPT-81099-UNLISTED-URINE-PROCEDURE

    CPT 81099: Unlisted Urine Procedure

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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