Summary & Overview
CPT 83825: Quantitative Mercury Measurement in Patient Specimen
CPT code 83825 represents a quantitative laboratory test to measure mercury levels in a patient specimen to assess potential mercury toxicity. This code is used for clinical toxicology and trace metal analysis performed in clinical or hospital laboratories and matters nationally because mercury exposure has significant public health implications and drives utilization of specialized laboratory services across care settings. Payers that typically cover such testing in national analyses include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare.
Readers will learn what the code represents, the clinical context for ordering mercury testing, typical sites of service, and which major payers are relevant for coverage conversations. The publication provides benchmarks and payment context where available, summarizes common clinical indications for testing, and notes data availability. Data not available in the input is clearly identified. This summary is intended for clinicians, laboratory managers, and policy analysts seeking a concise reference on the purpose and usage context of CPT code 83825.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 83825 describes a laboratory test in which a laboratory analyst measures the amount of mercury in a patient specimen to determine whether a toxic level exists in the patient’s body. The procedure is a quantitative toxicology test for mercury performed on biological specimens such as blood or urine.
Service type: Laboratory toxicology/trace metal quantification
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 34-year-old adult presents to an occupational medicine clinic after workplace exposure to elemental mercury during industrial maintenance. The patient reports acute tremor, mood changes, and metallic taste. The clinician orders a blood mercury level to assess for systemic toxicity. A phlebotomy is performed and the specimen is sent to the hospital clinical laboratory. The laboratory analyst performs 83825 to quantitatively measure mercury concentration in the blood specimen using an appropriate analytical technique (for example cold vapor atomic absorption or ICP-MS). Results are reported to the ordering clinician and incorporated into clinical decision-making for chelation therapy, workplace removal, or public health reporting. Typical sites of service include hospital outpatient laboratories, independent reference labs, occupational health clinics, and emergency departments when acute poisoning is suspected. The workflow includes specimen collection, labeling, transport under chain-of-custody if required, laboratory analysis, result validation by a licensed clinical laboratory professional, and electronic reporting to the treating provider and, when indicated, to public health authorities.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when billing separately for the professional interpretation/oversight of the test by a pathologist or clinical chemist when technical component billed by the lab is billed by another entity. |