Summary & Overview
CPT 83885: Nickel Quantitative Assay, Laboratory Measurement
CPT code 83885 is a laboratory procedure code for quantitative measurement of nickel in a patient specimen to assess for nickel toxicity. As a clinically focused heavy-metal assay, it supports diagnosis and monitoring of metal exposure and poisoning. The code is relevant across clinical toxicology, occupational medicine, and specialty laboratory services and has national relevance for payers and laboratories managing exposures to environmental and occupational metals.
Key payers considered include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the clinical context and typical sites of service, an overview of payer coverage considerations, and what types of benchmarks and policy topics are commonly associated with specialized laboratory testing. The publication will address reimbursement benchmarks where available, common billing modifiers and coding considerations, and how CPT code 83885 fits within laboratory service lines and toxicology testing panels.
This summary provides clinicians, billing professionals, and policy analysts with a national-level orienting brief on the code’s clinical purpose, typical use settings, and the payer landscape that affects access and coverage for nickel quantification testing.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 83885 describes a laboratory measurement of nickel concentration in a patient specimen to evaluate for nickel toxicity. The service involves a laboratory analyst performing a quantitative assay to determine the amount of nickel present.
Service type: Clinical laboratory test — heavy metal quantification
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory
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Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 42-year-old factory worker with a history of chronic dermatitis and occupational exposure to nickel presents with persistent skin irritation and systemic symptoms (fatigue, gastrointestinal upset). The treating clinician orders a metal panel with targeted measurement of nickel in blood or urine to assess for nickel toxicity using 83885. Specimen collection typically occurs in an outpatient phlebotomy clinic or occupational health laboratory; the specimen (blood or urine) is sent to a clinical chemistry/toxicology lab where an analyst performs quantitative analysis for nickel. Results are reported to the ordering clinician who correlates measured nickel concentration with clinical findings, workplace exposure history, and potential need for environmental intervention or referral to occupational medicine.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when billing only the professional interpretation component separate from the technical lab component (rare for chemistry tests but applicable if separate professional reporting occurs). |
TC | Technical component |