Summary & Overview
CPT 82017: Quantitative Acylcarnitine Analysis
CPT code 82017 represents a quantitative acylcarnitine analysis used to detect fatty acid oxidation disorders and assist in diagnosing organic acidurias. As a specialized clinical laboratory test, it supports diagnosis and management of inborn errors of metabolism with implications for pediatric and adult metabolic care. Nationally, access to accurate acylcarnitine testing influences timely diagnosis, treatment planning, and genetic counseling.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for ordering the test, typical sites of service, and practical billing considerations tied to this laboratory service. The publication also outlines common modifiers reported with laboratory services, discusses payer coverage themes, and highlights benchmarks and policy updates affecting laboratory reimbursement and prior authorization practices. Clinical interpretation basics and indications for testing are summarized to clarify appropriate utilization.
This executive summary is intended for a national audience of clinicians, laboratory managers, and billing professionals seeking concise guidance on the role and billing context of CPT code 82017.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 82017 covers quantitative analysis of acylcarnitines, a laboratory test used to evaluate fatty acid metabolism and to aid in diagnosing organic acidurias. The assay measures concentrations of various acylcarnitine species in blood or plasma to detect metabolic disorders such as fatty acid oxidation defects and other inborn errors of metabolism.
Service Type: Clinical diagnostic laboratory testing
Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory, often ordered by metabolic specialists, pediatricians, or geneticists; specimen collection may occur in outpatient clinics or inpatient settings
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A newborn or pediatric patient presents with poor feeding, hypotonia, lethargy, unexplained hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis, or failure to thrive. A pediatrician or metabolic specialist orders quantitative acylcarnitine analysis to evaluate for fatty acid oxidation defects (such as medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency) or to help characterize organic acidurias. A blood specimen (dried blood spot or plasma) is collected in the outpatient clinic, emergency department, or neonatal intensive care unit and sent to a reference laboratory. The laboratory performs tandem mass spectrometry to quantify a panel of acylcarnitine species; results are reported to the ordering clinician to guide confirmatory metabolic testing, genetic testing, dietary modifications, or acute management (eg, avoidance of fasting, IV glucose). Typical sites of service include hospital laboratories, outpatient clinics, reference laboratories, and neonatal screening programs.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Modifier not used with CPT by CMS; placeholder | Data not available in the input. |
| 11 | Office or other outpatient visit; not a modifier for lab CPTs | Data not available in the input.
| 26 | Professional component | Use when billing only the professional interpretation component if applicable and reportable for the laboratory service.