Summary & Overview
CPT 82382: Urine Total Catecholamines, Quantitative
CPT code 82382 represents a quantitative urine assay for total catecholamines — the combined measurement of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Nationally, this laboratory test plays a role in diagnosing and monitoring conditions linked to abnormal catecholamine production, including certain neuroendocrine tumors and catecholamine-driven hypertension. It is performed in clinical and hospital outpatient laboratories and is relevant to payers that cover diagnostic laboratory services.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context for CPT code 82382, typical sites of service, and the service type. The publication covers billing and policy-relevant benchmarks, common modifier usage, and payer coverage posture where available. It also summarizes coding relationships and practical billing considerations for laboratories and billing professionals.
This summary is written for a national audience and focuses on clinical and billing context, payer coverage scope, and the practical implications of ordering and submitting claims for CPT code 82382. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 82382 measures total catecholamines in urine, quantifying the combined levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This is a clinical laboratory assay used to evaluate catecholamine production, often in the context of suspected neuroendocrine tumors, hypertension workup, or other disorders of catecholamine metabolism.
Service Type: Clinical laboratory test — quantitative urine catecholamines
Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory or hospital outpatient laboratory
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Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 45-year-old patient presents with episodic headaches, sweating, palpitations, and sustained or paroxysmal hypertension. The clinician suspects a catecholamine-secreting tumor (pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma) or autonomic dysfunction. The outpatient workflow begins with history, physical exam, and office blood pressure monitoring. The clinician orders a 24-hour urine collection for total catecholamines (82382) to measure urinary epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine levels. The patient receives written collection instructions, stops interfering medications if clinically safe, and collects all urine over 24 hours in a provided container with preservative as indicated. The specimen is transported to the central clinical laboratory; a medical technologist or laboratory analyst performs the assay and reports quantitative total catecholamine results to the ordering provider. Results are reviewed in conjunction with plasma catecholamine or metanephrine testing, imaging studies, and clinical findings to guide diagnosis and further management.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Service not otherwise specified; default | Rarely appended; use only if payer requires a neutral code |
11 | Surgical or medical care only | Use when the provider performs the professional component and no global service applies