Summary & Overview
CPT 84580: Quantitative Urobilinogen in Urine
CPT code 84580 covers a quantitative urine assay that measures urobilinogen collected over a specified time period (for example, 2-hour or 24-hour urine). The test is used to evaluate hepatobiliary function and hemolytic processes and is an established component of laboratory diagnostic workflows. Nationally, this code matters because it supports diagnostic evaluation for liver disease and hemolysis and drives lab utilization and reimbursement for quantitative urine testing.
Key payers in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for the test, typical sites of service, and the kinds of benchmarks and coverage considerations commonly associated with clinical laboratory CPT codes. The publication summarizes coding attributes, common modifiers (listed separately), and how this service is positioned within lab-based diagnostic pathways.
Intended takeaways include: a clear description of what CPT code 84580 represents; the clinical scenarios in which a quantitative urobilinogen urine assay is ordered; payer coverage landscape at a national level; and where to find related coding and billing details. Data not available in the input are identified where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 84580 describes a laboratory test that measures the amount of urobilinogen in urine collected over a specified time period (for example, a 2-hour or 24-hour urine collection). This test quantifies urobilinogen levels to assess aspects of hepatobiliary function and hemolysis as reflected in urinary excretion.
Service type: Clinical laboratory test — quantitative urine assay
Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory, with specimens collected in ambulatory clinics, inpatient settings, or outpatient collection centers.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 52-year-old outpatient presents to the clinic with complaints of jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, and generalized pruritus. The ordering clinician suspects hemolytic anemia versus hepatobiliary dysfunction and requests urine testing as part of a diagnostic workup. The patient is given a clear container and instructed to provide a timed urine collection (e.g., 2-hour or 24-hour) according to laboratory protocol. The specimen is transported to the clinical laboratory where a medical technologist documents receipt, verifies patient identifiers and collection period, and performs a quantitative urobilinogen assay (84580) using the laboratory's validated method. Results are reported in mg/dL or total amount per collection interval and routed to the ordering provider through the electronic health record. Interpretation of elevated or decreased urobilinogen is considered alongside liver function tests, bilirubin studies, and hemolysis markers to differentiate hemolytic disease from obstructive or hepatocellular processes. Typical sites of service include outpatient laboratory, hospital laboratory, and ambulatory surgery centers when collected as part of perioperative testing.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Default reporting when no modifier applies |