Summary & Overview
CPT 82136: Quantitative Analysis of 2–5 Amino Acids
CPT code 82136 covers quantitative laboratory analysis of 2 to 5 amino acids in specimens such as blood, plasma, urine, or other body fluids. This targeted amino acid panel is used to detect abnormalities in amino acid metabolism, monitor metabolic or nutritional conditions, and support diagnostic evaluation for a range of inherited or acquired disorders. Nationally, amino acid testing is an important component of metabolic and genetic diagnostic workflows and of clinical monitoring for patients with metabolic disease.
Key payers in the national analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication outlines payer coverage patterns, typical reimbursement considerations, and clinical contexts in which this test is ordered.
Readers will find a concise overview of the service definition, expected sites of service, and the clinical rationale for ordering a small amino acid panel. The report summarizes common modifiers associated with laboratory billing when available, notes where input data is missing, and highlights benchmarking elements relevant to laboratories and billing teams. The content is intended for laboratory managers, clinical coders, and healthcare policy analysts seeking a clear national summary of CPT code 82136 and its role in diagnostic laboratory services.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 82136 describes laboratory testing that quantifies 2 to 5 amino acids in a patient specimen such as blood, plasma, urine, or other body fluids. The procedure uses quantitative analysis to identify amino acid concentrations that fall outside normal reference ranges.
Service type: Diagnostic clinical laboratory test (amino acid panel, small profile)
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory, hospital laboratory, or other outpatient specimen collection sites
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A pediatric or adult patient presents for metabolic evaluation due to symptoms such as unexplained failure to thrive, developmental delay, hypotonia, unexplained vomiting, lethargy, or new-onset seizures. A clinician suspects an inborn error of amino acid metabolism (for example, phenylketonuria, maple syrup urine disease, or hyperammonemia-related disorders) or needs to monitor amino acid levels for nutritional assessment or toxicology. A blood (plasma/serum) or urine specimen is collected in the outpatient clinic, emergency department, or inpatient ward and sent to the clinical chemistry or biochemical genetics laboratory.
The laboratory analyst performs quantitative amino acid analysis on the specimen, measuring 2 to 5 amino acids using methods such as ion-exchange chromatography, HPLC, or mass spectrometry. Results are reviewed for values outside reference ranges and reported to the ordering provider. Abnormal panels prompt further testing, specialty referral (e.g., to genetics or metabolic nutrition), or urgent clinical interventions if life-threatening metabolic derangements are detected.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | When billing only the professional interpretation component separate from the technical component |