CPT 83605: Lactate Quantitative, Blood or Plasma

CPT code 83605 describes a quantitative laboratory measurement of lactate (lactic acid), the end product of anaerobic carbohydrate metabolism, performed on blood or plasma samples; the service is a clinical chemistry assay typically provided in hospital, clinical laboratory, or outpatient phlebotomy settings for evaluation of tissue hypoxia, metabolic status, or monitoring of critically ill patients.

Customize your policy alerts

Sign up for cpt 83605 policy alerts

Get alerted when payer policies referencing 83605 are released or updated.

Monitor payer policy activity

Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

Explore openpayer tools

View all tools

CPT 83605: Lactate Quantitative, Blood or Plasma

Customize your policy alerts

Sign up for cpt 83605 policy alerts

Get alerted when payer policies referencing 83605 are released or updated.

Monitor payer policy activity

Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 58-year-old male presents to the emergency department with progressive shortness of breath, tachypnea, hypotension, and altered mental status after prolonged exertion and suspected sepsis. The treating team orders a serum lactate measurement to evaluate for tissue hypoperfusion and guide resuscitation. A phlebotomist collects a venous blood sample, which is transported to the central laboratory. A clinical laboratory scientist performs the 83605 assay (lactate measurement) on whole blood or plasma using an automated analyzer. Results are reported to the ordering clinician urgently; serial lactate measurements may be performed to assess response to fluid resuscitation and antibiotics. Typical site of service includes the hospital laboratory supporting the emergency department, intensive care unit, or inpatient wards; outpatient clinics or urgent care centers may also obtain lactate levels when indicated.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`36415`	Collection of venous blood by venipuncture	Specimen collection preceding `83605` for serum or plasma lactate measurement.
`85025`	Blood count; automated differential WBC count	Common companion lab ordered in sepsis workup alongside lactate.
`80053`	Comprehensive metabolic panel; includes multiple chemistry analytes	Frequently ordered with lactate to evaluate organ function in critically ill patients.
`84484`	Troponin I or T; cardiac panel (single assay)	Often ordered concurrently in patients with chest pain or suspected shock to evaluate cardiac involvement.
`83655`	Lactic acid bacteria tests (Note: code example)	Not typically performed together; listed here to show biochemical assay grouping—use only when applicable.

Related Modifiers

6 rows

Modifier	Description	When to Use
26	Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…	- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
90	Modifier ‑90 (Reference/Outside Laboratory) indicates that a laboratory test was performed by an entity other than the treating or reporting provider. The American Medical Association defines…	- Use CPT modifier -90 when a laboratory test is performed by an outside/reference laboratory (an entity other than the treating or reporting physician or qualified professional) and the claim needs…
91	Modifier 91 — “Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test” — is appended when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once for the same patient on the same day because serial,…	- Use modifier 91 when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once on the same patient on the same date because serial or repeated testing is medically necessary to monitor…
52	Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…	- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
53	Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…	- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
59	Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…	- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…

Related Provider Taxonomies

8 rows

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207R00000X	Internal Medicine Physician	A physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and the hospital, managing both common and complex illness of adolescents, adults…
208D00000X	General Practice Physician	A physician who specializes in the general practice of diagnosing, treating, and managing patients with a variety of illnesses and conditions.
207LP2900X	Pain Medicine (Anesthesiology) Physician	An anesthesiologist who provides a high level of care, either as a primary physician or consultant, for patients experiencing problems with acute, chr…
208000000X	Pediatrics Physician	A pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. Care encompasses a broad spectru…
246QC2700X	Cytotechnology Specialist/Technologist	Technologists, Technicians & Other Technical Service Providers · Specialist/Technologist, Pathology
291U00000X	Clinical Medical Laboratory	(1) A clinical laboratory is a facility for the biological, microbiological, serological, chemical, immunohematological, hematological, biophysical, c…
222Z00000X	Orthotist	A health care professional who is specifically educated and trained to manage comprehensive orthotic patient care, including musculoskeletal and neuro…
1835N1003X	Nutrition Support Pharmacist	A licensed pharmacist who has demonstrated specialized knowledge and skill in maintenance and/or restoration of optimal nutritional status, designing …

CPT 82009: Qualitative Ketone Bodies Test

CPT-82010-QUANTITATIVE-KETONE-BODIES-ASSAY-SERUM-PLASMA

CPT 82010: Quantitative Ketone Bodies in Serum or Plasma

CPT-82013-ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE-QUANTITATIVE-ASSAY

CPT 82013: Quantitative Acetylcholinesterase (Acetylhydrolase) Assay

CPT-82016-QUALITATIVE-ACYLCARNITINES-METABOLIC-SCREEN

CPT 82016: Qualitative Acylcarnitines, Plasma/Serum/Urine

CPT-82017-QUANTITATIVE-ACYLCARNITINE-ANALYSIS

CPT 82017: Quantitative Acylcarnitine Analysis

CPT-82024-QUANTITATIVE-CORTICOTROPIN-ACTH-ASSAY

CPT 82024: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) Quantitative Assay

CPT-82030-QUANTITATIVE-CAMP-PLASMA-URINE-ASSAY

CPT 82030: Quantitative cyclic AMP assay on plasma or urine

CPT-82040-QUANTITATIVE-ALBUMIN-MEASUREMENT

CPT 82040: Quantitative Albumin Measurement

CPT-82042-QUANTITATIVE-ALBUMIN-NONBLOOD-FLUID

CPT 82042: Albumin Quantitation in Non-Blood Body Fluid

CPT-82043-URINE-ALBUMIN-QUANTITATION-KIDNEY-DISEASE

CPT 82043: Urine Albumin Quantitative Assay

Showing 1–10 of 411

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

Explore openpayer tools

View all tools

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`36415`	Collection of venous blood by venipuncture	Specimen collection preceding `83605` for serum or plasma lactate measurement.
`85025`	Blood count; automated differential WBC count	Common companion lab ordered in sepsis workup alongside lactate.
`80053`	Comprehensive metabolic panel; includes multiple chemistry analytes	Frequently ordered with lactate to evaluate organ function in critically ill patients.
`84484`	Troponin I or T; cardiac panel (single assay)	Often ordered concurrently in patients with chest pain or suspected shock to evaluate cardiac involvement.
`83655`	Lactic acid bacteria tests (Note: code example)	Not typically performed together; listed here to show biochemical assay grouping—use only when applicable.

Related Modifiers

6 rows

Modifier	Description	When to Use
26	Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…	- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
90	Modifier ‑90 (Reference/Outside Laboratory) indicates that a laboratory test was performed by an entity other than the treating or reporting provider. The American Medical Association defines…	- Use CPT modifier -90 when a laboratory test is performed by an outside/reference laboratory (an entity other than the treating or reporting physician or qualified professional) and the claim needs…
91	Modifier 91 — “Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test” — is appended when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once for the same patient on the same day because serial,…	- Use modifier 91 when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once on the same patient on the same date because serial or repeated testing is medically necessary to monitor…
52	Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…	- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
53	Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…	- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
59	Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…	- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…

Related Provider Taxonomies

8 rows

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207R00000X	Internal Medicine Physician	A physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and the hospital, managing both common and complex illness of adolescents, adults…
208D00000X	General Practice Physician	A physician who specializes in the general practice of diagnosing, treating, and managing patients with a variety of illnesses and conditions.
207LP2900X	Pain Medicine (Anesthesiology) Physician	An anesthesiologist who provides a high level of care, either as a primary physician or consultant, for patients experiencing problems with acute, chr…
208000000X	Pediatrics Physician	A pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. Care encompasses a broad spectru…
246QC2700X	Cytotechnology Specialist/Technologist	Technologists, Technicians & Other Technical Service Providers · Specialist/Technologist, Pathology
291U00000X	Clinical Medical Laboratory	(1) A clinical laboratory is a facility for the biological, microbiological, serological, chemical, immunohematological, hematological, biophysical, c…
222Z00000X	Orthotist	A health care professional who is specifically educated and trained to manage comprehensive orthotic patient care, including musculoskeletal and neuro…
1835N1003X	Nutrition Support Pharmacist	A licensed pharmacist who has demonstrated specialized knowledge and skill in maintenance and/or restoration of optimal nutritional status, designing …

CPT 82009: Qualitative Ketone Bodies Test

CPT-82010-QUANTITATIVE-KETONE-BODIES-ASSAY-SERUM-PLASMA

CPT 82010: Quantitative Ketone Bodies in Serum or Plasma

CPT-82013-ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE-QUANTITATIVE-ASSAY

CPT 82013: Quantitative Acetylcholinesterase (Acetylhydrolase) Assay

CPT-82016-QUALITATIVE-ACYLCARNITINES-METABOLIC-SCREEN

CPT 82016: Qualitative Acylcarnitines, Plasma/Serum/Urine

CPT-82017-QUANTITATIVE-ACYLCARNITINE-ANALYSIS

CPT 82017: Quantitative Acylcarnitine Analysis

CPT-82024-QUANTITATIVE-CORTICOTROPIN-ACTH-ASSAY

CPT 82024: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) Quantitative Assay

CPT-82030-QUANTITATIVE-CAMP-PLASMA-URINE-ASSAY

CPT 82030: Quantitative cyclic AMP assay on plasma or urine

CPT-82040-QUANTITATIVE-ALBUMIN-MEASUREMENT

CPT 82040: Quantitative Albumin Measurement

CPT-82042-QUANTITATIVE-ALBUMIN-NONBLOOD-FLUID

CPT 82042: Albumin Quantitation in Non-Blood Body Fluid

CPT-82043-URINE-ALBUMIN-QUANTITATION-KIDNEY-DISEASE

CPT 82043: Urine Albumin Quantitative Assay

Showing 1–10 of 411

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

OpenPayer

CPT 83605: Lactate Quantitative, Blood or Plasma

Sign up for cpt 83605 policy alerts

OpenPayer

CPT 83605: Lactate Quantitative, Blood or Plasma

Sign up for cpt 83605 policy alerts

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related Codes

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related Codes

References

CPT 83605: Lactate Quantitative, Blood or Plasma

Sign up for cpt 83605 policy alerts

CPT 83605: Lactate Quantitative, Blood or Plasma

Sign up for cpt 83605 policy alerts

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related Codes

What does CPT 83605 represent?

In which clinical settings is 83605 typically performed?

Which specimen collection code commonly precedes 83605?

For what diagnoses is lactate measurement (83605) clinically relevant?

Which payers are indicated as covered in the summary metadata?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related Codes

What does CPT 83605 represent?

In which clinical settings is 83605 typically performed?

Which specimen collection code commonly precedes 83605?

For what diagnoses is lactate measurement (83605) clinically relevant?

Which payers are indicated as covered in the summary metadata?

References