Summary & Overview
CPT 85660: RBC Sickling Test with Reducing Solution
CPT code 85660 identifies a laboratory diagnostic procedure that tests patient blood for red blood cell sickling after the addition of a reducing solution. The test is clinically important for identifying sickle cell trait or disease and can inform follow-up hemoglobinopathy evaluation. Nationally, this code is part of the laboratory services mix used by hospitals, outpatient laboratories, and reference labs to support hematology and genetic evaluation pathways.
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 clinical context for the test, typical sites of service, and which payer groups commonly process claims for this laboratory service. The publication outlines national benchmarking themes, coding and billing considerations relevant to laboratory administrators and billing teams, and any notable policy or reimbursement updates where available. Data not available in the input is indicated explicitly where applicable.
This summary serves clinicians, billing managers, and policy analysts seeking a focused reference on CPT code 85660, its clinical purpose, payer coverage landscape, and the operational settings in which the test is performed.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 85660 describes a laboratory procedure in which a specimen of the patient’s blood is tested for red blood cell sickling after exposure to a reducing solution. This test evaluates the propensity of red blood cells (RBCs) to assume the sickled shape under reducing conditions and is used in the diagnostic evaluation of hemoglobinopathies, particularly sickle cell trait or disease.
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Service type: Laboratory diagnostic test
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Typical site of service: Clinical laboratory or hospital laboratory setting
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical scenario involves a hematology clinic or hospital laboratory performing a sickle cell screening or confirmatory test on a patient with a history of hemolytic anemia, recurrent painful vaso-occlusive episodes, or a newborn or child with suspected sickle cell disease. A phlebotomist collects a venous blood specimen, which is sent to the clinical laboratory. The laboratory technologist performs 85660 (sickling test) by adding a reducing solution to a red blood cell suspension and observing for sickling under a microscope. Results are reported to the ordering provider—commonly a hematologist, pediatrician, emergency physician, or primary care clinician—and used alongside hemoglobin electrophoresis or HPLC to confirm sickle cell trait or disease. Typical sites of service are hospital laboratories, outpatient hospital clinics, specialty hematology labs, and large reference laboratories. The procedure may be ordered during acute presentations (e.g., pain crisis, acute chest syndrome), routine screening of newborns or adolescents, preoperative clearance when sickle cell status is unknown, or follow-up of known hemoglobinopathy carriers.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when billing only the professional interpretation component if applicable (rare for this laboratory test). |