Summary & Overview
CPT 82664: Electrophoresis Measurement of Unspecified Substance
CPT code 82664 covers laboratory measurement of a substance using an electrophoretic technique when no more specific code exists. Electrophoresis is a method used to separate and quantify components such as proteins, hemoglobin variants, or other analytes based on electrical mobility; 82664 serves as a catch-all for tests performed by electrophoresis that are not otherwise coded. Nationally, accurate coding for specialized laboratory methods like electrophoresis affects billing consistency, claims processing, and clinical reporting for diagnostic testing.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context for electrophoresis-based assays, typical sites of service, and which payers are commonly involved in coverage and reimbursement. The publication also outlines benchmarks and policy-relevant details where available, including coding guidance, common modifier usage (listed separately), and considerations for laboratory billing teams.
This summary is written for a national audience and emphasizes practical coding identification and clinical relevance rather than state-specific rules. Data not available in the input will be noted where applicable in supporting sections.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 82664 describes a laboratory procedure in which a substance is measured using an electrophoretic technique when that specific test is not otherwise listed with its own code. This code is intended for electrophoresis-based assays that quantify or characterize analytes by separating components in an electric field and measuring the substance of interest.
Service type: Laboratory — Electrophoresis-based measurement
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 45-year-old outpatient presents with signs of a suspected abnormal serum protein pattern (eg, unexplained anemia, hyperviscosity symptoms, or abnormal total protein/albumin on basic metabolic testing). The clinician orders an electrophoretic analysis to characterize serum or urine protein fractions using an electrophoretic technique that does not have a more specific CPT code. A phlebotomy or urine collection is performed in an ambulatory clinic or outpatient laboratory. The specimen is received in the clinical laboratory, accessioned, and prepared for electrophoresis. A medical laboratory technologist runs the specimen through an electrophoretic separation, interprets the banding pattern, documents findings, and issues a report to the ordering provider. Typical sites of service include hospital outpatient labs, independent reference laboratories, and ambulatory clinic laboratories. The procedure is billed when an electrophoretic method is used to measure a substance and no more specific electrophoresis code applies.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | When billing only the professional interpretation by the pathologist/clinical laboratory physician separate from technical processing |
59 |