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CPT 93880: Duplex Scan of Arteries for Evaluation of Blood Flow
CPT code 93880 denotes a duplex scan of arteries used to evaluate blood flow with combined ultrasound imaging and pulsed Doppler. This non‑invasive vascular diagnostic procedure is clinically important for detecting arterial stenosis, occlusion, and related flow abnormalities that can inform acute and chronic cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular care. Nationally, duplex arterial scanning supports triage, diagnosis, and monitoring in neurology, vascular surgery, and radiology workflows.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise synthesis of clinical context, typical sites of service, common associated diagnoses, and the code’s relationship to closely related vascular ultrasound services. The publication outlines benchmarks and payment context where available, highlights relevant clinical applications such as evaluation of transient ischemic attack and retinal artery occlusion, and notes adjacent codes for unilateral or limited studies.
This summary is intended for national stakeholders — clinical leaders, coding and billing professionals, and policy analysts — seeking a clear, practical reference for CPT code 93880 and its role in vascular diagnostic workflows.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 93880 describes a duplex scan of arteries for the evaluation of blood flow, a non‑invasive vascular diagnostic procedure that combines real‑time ultrasound imaging with pulsed Doppler assessment. This service enables visualization of peripheral arterial flow patterns and can identify arterial stenosis, occlusion, and venous incompetence when applicable.
Service Type: Non‑invasive vascular diagnostic imaging (duplex arterial scan)
Typical Site of Service: Hospital outpatient departments, vascular laboratories, and imaging centers
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Nationally, Medicare's mean allowed amount sits at $131.30, notably below BUCA's average commercial mean of $309.90, indicating that commercial contracts tracked by BUCA reimburse, on average, roughly $178.60 more per service than Medicare. This gap highlights material differences between government and commercial payment levels for CPT 93880 without invoking any specific plan features.
Dispersion varies by payer: Blue Cross Blue Shield has the widest interquartile range at $155.50 (P75 $483.30 minus P25 $293.80), followed by UnitedHealth Group at $211.91? Wait — must compute correctly: UnitedHealth Group P75 $301.20 minus P25 $93.10 equals $208.10, and BUCA's IQR is $192.40 (P75 $392.90 minus P25 $200.50). The tightest spread is Aetna at $159.00 (P75 $215.00 minus P25 $54.60). These differences reflect how concentrated or variable allowed amounts are across commercial payers.