Summary & Overview
CPT 83701: High-Resolution Lipoprotein Fractionation and Quantitation
CPT code 83701 represents an advanced laboratory test for high-resolution fractionation and quantification of blood lipoproteins, including optional lipoprotein subclass analysis. Nationally, this code captures specialized lipid testing that informs cardiovascular risk assessment and treatment planning by providing more detailed lipoprotein particle information than standard lipid panels. The procedure is performed in clinical or hospital laboratories and is relevant to health plans, hospital laboratories, and clinical laboratories that manage cardiovascular diagnostic workflows.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the code’s clinical role, typical site of service, and the common payer landscape. The publication also provides benchmarks where available, summaries of relevant policy or coverage considerations, and clinical context on when high-resolution lipoprotein fractionation is used relative to standard lipid testing. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 83701 describes a laboratory procedure in which a lab analyst performs high-resolution fractionation and measures blood lipoprotein levels in a patient specimen. The service may include measurement of lipoprotein subclasses in addition to standard lipoprotein quantification.
-
Service type: Specialized clinical laboratory testing involving advanced lipoprotein analysis
-
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory setting
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 52-year-old male with a family history of premature coronary artery disease and persistent dyslipidemia despite statin therapy presents to a cardiology clinic for advanced lipid evaluation. The clinician orders a high-resolution lipoprotein fractionation assay to quantify particle concentrations and identify lipoprotein subclasses to better assess residual atherosclerotic risk and guide therapeutic decisions. A phlebotomy appointment is scheduled at an outpatient laboratory; a venous blood specimen is collected, labeled, and transported to the clinical laboratory. A licensed medical technologist or laboratory analyst performs 83701 testing using high-resolution electrophoresis or ion mobility fractionation to separate and measure LDL, HDL, VLDL subclasses and particle concentrations. Results are reviewed by the ordering clinician and documented in the patient’s chart, with interpretation integrated into cardiovascular risk management and medication discussions. Typical site of service is an outpatient clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory receiving outpatient specimens. Service type: quantitative high-resolution lipoprotein fractionation and lipoprotein subclass analysis.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | When charging separately for the professional interpretation component if the lab provides only technical work and a physician reviews results. |