Summary & Overview
CPT 82627: Dehydroepiandrosterone–Sulfate (DHEA-S) Measurement
CPT code 82627 represents a laboratory assay for dehydroepiandrosterone–sulfate (DHEA-S), a key steroid precursor used to evaluate adrenal and gonadal endocrine disorders. Nationally, this test is important in diagnostic workups for conditions such as delayed puberty, hirsutism, adrenal neoplasm, ovarian disorders, Cushing’s disease, and adrenal hyperplasia. Accurate DHEA-S measurement aids clinical decision-making in endocrinology and primary care settings and is commonly billed through clinical laboratory service lines.
Key payers covered in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context and indications for the test, typical sites of service, and how this assay fits into endocrine diagnostic panels alongside related hormone measurements. The publication summarizes payer coverage considerations, commonly used billing modifiers, and linked diagnostic codes for outpatient endocrine evaluations. Benchmarks of utilization and payment policy updates are described to inform coding and billing workflows and to support administrative planning for laboratory service lines.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 82627 describes a laboratory analysis of dehydroepiandrosterone–sulfate (DHEA-S), a steroid precursor used in evaluating adrenal and gonadal hormone function. The test measures serum DHEA-S concentration to help identify adrenal hormone abnormalities and support evaluation of conditions such as delayed puberty, hirsutism, adrenal neoplasm, ovarian disorders, Cushing’s disease, and adrenal hyperplasia.
Service Type: Clinical laboratory biochemical assay
Typical Site of Service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory; outpatient collection for clinician-ordered diagnostic testing
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 16-year-old female presents to an endocrinology clinic with progressive hirsutism, irregular menses, and delayed secondary sexual development. The endocrinologist obtains a focused history and orders laboratory evaluation to assess adrenal and gonadal androgen production. A blood specimen is collected in the outpatient clinic phlebotomy area and sent to the clinical laboratory for measurement of dehydroepiandrosterone–sulfate using 82627. The lab performs the assay, documents specimen quality and assay method, and reports quantitative DHEA-S results in the electronic medical record. Results are reviewed by the ordering clinician alongside other endocrine studies (e.g., testosterone, cortisol, LH/FSH) to evaluate for adrenal hyperplasia, adrenal neoplasm, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or other causes of androgen excess. Typical site of service: outpatient clinic or hospital outpatient laboratory; service type: clinical laboratory diagnostic chemistry assay.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when the billing distinguishes the physician interpretation/lab professional effort from the facility technical component. |
TC |