Summary & Overview
CPT 82575: Creatinine Clearance Measurement
CPT code 82575 represents a laboratory measurement of creatinine clearance, a quantitative assessment of renal filtration capacity based on creatinine excretion. This test is used clinically to evaluate kidney function and guide dosing for renally cleared medications and disease management. Nationally, accurate reporting of laboratory codes like 82575 supports appropriate clinical decision-making, quality measurement, and consistent claims processing across payers.
Key payers commonly involved in coverage and reimbursement conversations include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find practical context on the clinical purpose of the test, typical service settings, and the types of benchmarks and policy considerations that affect laboratory procedure coding. The publication outlines how 82575 is used in laboratory workflows, what stakeholders monitor for utilization and documentation, and where to expect policy updates that affect billing and coverage eligibility.
This summary addresses national implications rather than state-specific rules. It also identifies where data is not available in the input so users understand the limits of the current profile: associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and payer-specific reimbursement rates are not provided in the input.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 82575 measures creatinine clearance in a patient specimen, quantifying the volume of serum or plasma that would be cleared of creatinine in one minute based on urine excretion. The test assesses the kidneys' ability to filter creatinine, a waste product produced by muscle metabolism, and is reported when a laboratory analyst performs the measurement on the submitted specimen.
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Service type: Clinical laboratory test — quantitative measurement of creatinine clearance
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Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory setting
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult with suspected or known renal impairment undergoing evaluation of kidney function. The patient presents to an outpatient laboratory or hospital inpatient unit after being referred by a primary care physician, nephrologist, or hospitalist for measurement of creatinine clearance. The clinical workflow begins with the ordering clinician documenting the indication (for example, monitoring chronic kidney disease, assessing renal function prior to dosing renally cleared medications, or evaluating suspected acute kidney injury). The laboratory provides patient instructions for timed urine collection (commonly a 24‑hour urine) and obtains a concurrent or recent serum creatinine sample. The lab analyst measures urine creatinine concentration and volume, and serum/plasma creatinine, then calculates creatinine clearance (often normalized to body surface area). Results are reported to the ordering clinician and integrated into medication dosing and ongoing renal management decisions.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when billing only the professional interpretation component is reported separately from the technical lab work. |
52 | Reduced services |