Lab & pathology
83655 — Lead, blood
A blood test that measures the amount of lead in a patient's blood to screen for or confirm lead poisoning, especially in young children who may have been exposed to lead paint or contaminated soil.
- Typical setting: Hospital lab, reference lab, doctor's office
- National avg charge (illustrative): $8–$20 Medicare/Medicaid allowed; $10–$45 commercial; varies by region
- Most-disputed reason: Billing 83655 without an appropriate diagnosis or screening code — pediatric lead screening requires specific ICD-10 codes (e.g., Z13.88) to avoid medical necessity denials
What it means
What 83655 actually means
A blood test that measures the amount of lead in a patient's blood to screen for or confirm lead poisoning, especially in young children who may have been exposed to lead paint or contaminated soil. Elevated blood lead levels can cause developmental delays and other serious health problems.
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).
- Billing 83655 without an appropriate diagnosis or screening code — pediatric lead screening requires specific ICD-10 codes (e.g., Z13.88) to avoid medical necessity denials
- Bundling errors when combined with hemoglobin testing (85018) at well-child visits — both are separately billable when documented
- Billing 83655 for capillary (finger-stick) collection without noting that a confirmatory venous sample may be needed for elevated results, which can generate a second billable test
If you see 83655 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 83655 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 83655 on a bill.
83655 FAQ
Plain-English answers.
What does 83655 usually cost?
$8–$20 Medicare/Medicaid allowed; $10–$45 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 83655?
Billing 83655 without an appropriate diagnosis or screening code — pediatric lead screening requires specific ICD-10 codes (e.g., Z13.88) to avoid medical necessity denials
What should I do if I see 83655 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 83655 before paying.
Don't pay 83655 blindly.
The free scan tells you in under 60 seconds whether this charge looks reasonable for your situation.