CPT 80053 is a comprehensive metabolic panel: fourteen tests from one blood draw, covering everything in the basic panel plus liver enzymes, protein and albumin. It is the standard annual-physical blood test and the usual first test for fatigue, unexplained symptoms or medication monitoring.
What the price covers
The price is for the laboratory analysis only. The blood draw is a separate small charge, and any additional tests ordered on the same sample (cholesterol, thyroid, blood count) are separate codes with separate prices.
Why prices vary
The panel runs on an automated analyzer in minutes. Hospital list prices range from under $15 to several hundred dollars for the identical test, and hospital cash prices are often five to twenty times what an independent laboratory charges. For routine bloodwork, an outside lab is usually the cheapest option; the results are equivalent.
Questions to ask
- What is the self-pay price for 80053, and what is the draw fee?
- Can the order be sent to an independent laboratory?
- Which other tests were ordered with it, and what do they cost?