Summary & Overview
CPT 82952: Additional Blood Glucose Measurement After Glucose Tolerance Test
CPT code 82952 designates an additional laboratory glucose measurement performed after a standard glucose tolerance test with three specimens, typically following an extra oral glucose dose. This code captures a specific follow-up analytic step in glucose tolerance evaluation and is relevant to clinicians, laboratories, and payers because it affects test reporting, billing specificity, and clinical interpretation of glycemic responses.
Key national payers considered include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Coverage and payment policies for this service influence laboratory revenue cycles and patient cost-sharing, and they can vary by commercial plan and Medicare rules.
Readers will find a concise review of what CPT code 82952 represents, the clinical context of its use within glucose tolerance testing, and where the service is typically performed. The publication includes benchmarks for utilization and reimbursement where available, recent policy updates affecting laboratory billing, and practical notes on documentation and coding practices associated with glucose tolerance follow-up testing. Data not available in the input will be noted as such in corresponding sections.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 82952 describes an additional laboratory measurement of blood glucose performed after a glucose tolerance test that included three specimens. The service typically occurs when the lab analyst measures glucose levels following an additional oral glucose dose administered during the testing protocol.
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Service type: Laboratory diagnostic testing related to glucose tolerance assessment
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Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital outpatient laboratory setting
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 34-year-old pregnant woman at 28 weeks gestation presents to the ambulatory laboratory for a glucose tolerance evaluation after an abnormal 50 g screening glucose challenge test. The patient is instructed to fast overnight. At the visit, baseline venous blood is drawn, then the patient ingests an oral glucose solution. Blood specimens are collected at 1 hour and 2 hours per the three-specimen protocol. After review, the laboratory analyst performs an additional glucose measurement following administration of an extra oral glucose dose because one specimen was compromised by hemolysis and an additional timed post-dose level is needed to complete interpretation. The service is performed in an outpatient laboratory or hospital outpatient department. Typical workflow steps: ordering by the clinician, patient arrival and fasting confirmation, specimen collection at specified intervals, specimen handling and processing by phlebotomy and laboratory personnel, additional specimen collection when clinically indicated, analysis by the clinical chemistry laboratory, and result reporting to the ordering clinician for diabetes or gestational diabetes management decisions.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Standard reporting when no modifier applies to the service. |
26 |