Lab & pathology
82746 — Folic acid; serum
A blood test measuring the level of folate (folic acid) in the serum to check for deficiency.
- Typical setting: Hospital lab, reference lab, doctor's office
- National avg charge (illustrative): $8–$18 Medicare allowed (CMS CLFS); $12–$50 commercial; varies by region
- Most-disputed reason: Confusing 82746 (serum folate) with 82747 (RBC folate) — these measure folate in different specimen types with different clinical significance
What it means
What 82746 actually means
A blood test measuring the level of folate (folic acid) in the serum to check for deficiency. Folate deficiency can cause anemia and, in pregnant women, neural tube defects in the developing baby; it may result from poor diet, malabsorption disorders, or certain medications.
Common errors with this code
What goes wrong on real bills.
Most bills that look correct still contain at least one of these issues. Up to 49% of medical bills contain errors (CFPB).
- Confusing 82746 (serum folate) with 82747 (RBC folate) — these measure folate in different specimen types with different clinical significance
- Billing folate as part of a wellness panel without documenting a clinical indication, which may result in medical necessity denials
- Duplicate billing when both 82746 and 82607 (B12) are ordered and processed together — each is separately billable but payers may scrutinize for appropriate clinical rationale
If you see 82746 on your bill
Three steps before paying.
1. Get the itemized bill. If your statement only shows a summary, request the CPT-level itemized bill before paying. Generate the request language →
2. Cross-check against the EOB. Compare what your insurer's Explanation of Benefits says you owe versus what the hospital is asking. They disagree more often than people think. Read the bill-vs-EOB guide →
3. Run a free Bill Scan. Upload the bill (and EOB if you have it) and BillBusted will flag the most likely issues with this specific code in your specific state. Run free scan →
Related codes
Other codes in this category.
People who land on 82746 often also see these adjacent codes on the same bill.
CPT
80050 — General health panel; includes CBC w/diff, CMP, TSH
Lab — check for unbundling and duplicate billing.
CPT
80051 — Electrolyte panel; CO2, chloride, potassium, sodium
Lab — check for unbundling and duplicate billing.
CPT
80053 — Comprehensive metabolic panel
If individual blood tests are also on your bill, you may have an unbundling error.
CPT
80055 — Obstetric panel; CBC w/diff, HBsAg, rubella Ab, syphilis, RBC Ab screen, ABO/Rh
Lab — check for unbundling and duplicate billing.
CPT
80061 — Lipid panel (cholesterol)
If you see HDL or LDL listed separately next to 80061, that's unbundling.
Related BillBusted guides
Plain-English reads if you see 82746 on a bill.
82746 FAQ
Plain-English answers.
What does 82746 usually cost?
$8–$18 Medicare allowed (CMS CLFS); $12–$50 commercial; varies by region. Costs vary by region, payer contract, and whether the service was performed in a hospital outpatient department (which adds a facility fee) versus a free-standing clinic.
What's the most common billing error on 82746?
Confusing 82746 (serum folate) with 82747 (RBC folate) — these measure folate in different specimen types with different clinical significance
What should I do if I see 82746 on my bill?
Request the itemized bill and the matching EOB from your insurer. Compare the units/quantity billed against what you actually received. Run a free BillBusted scan to flag the most likely errors specific to 82746 before paying.
Don't pay 82746 blindly.
The free scan tells you in under 60 seconds whether this charge looks reasonable for your situation.