CPT 83036: Glycated Hemoglobin (A1C) Test
Commercial payers pay $28 on average nationally for this procedure.
CPT code 83036 is the laboratory test for glycated hemoglobin (A1C), which measures the percentage of hemoglobin with attached glucose to reflect average blood sugar over the prior ~3 months; service type: diagnostic laboratory test; typical site of service: clinical laboratory or outpatient phlebotomy/ambulatory setting.
For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Salivary Hormone Testing, Parathyroid Hormone, Phosphorus, Calcium, and Magnesium Testing, Bone Turnover Markers Testing.
Customize your policy alerts
Sign up for cpt 83036 policy alerts
Get alerted when payer policies referencing 83036 are released or updated.
Monitor payer policy activity
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National commercial reimbursement for CPT 83036 centers around BUCA’s average commercial benchmark of $28.3, with notable variation among large payers. Blue Cross Blue Shield pays higher on average ($40.8 mean) with a median of $38, while Aetna and Cigna sit lower (means $16 and $10.6 respectively). UnitedHealth Group and Cigna show lower medians ($5.80 and $8.80) compared with Blue Cross Blue Shield’s median, indicating a wide gap between dominant payer medians and the BUCA average.
Dispersion (P75 minus P25) highlights where rates are tight or wide: Blue Cross Blue Shield’s interquartile spread is $14.0 ($49.5−$31.6), the widest among payers, signaling broader variability. UnitedHealth Group is the tightest with a spread of $5.3 ($9.7−$4.4), followed by Cigna at $8.5 ($14.0−$5.5) and Aetna at $11.0 ($19.8−$8.0). These spreads contextualize BUCA’s mean as a mid-market reference amid payer-specific variability.