Measurement of the blood's total capacity to bind iron, used alongside serum iron to calculate transferrin saturation and classify anemia.
- Medicare
- $0.00
- Work RVU
- 0
- Global, days
- Region
- General
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓
- Order for TIBC with serum iron
- Anemia or chronic disease diagnosis linked to the test
- Lab report showing TIBC was measured, not transferrin
- Clinical plan, such as iron replacement before surgery
- ABN for Medicare when coverage is uncertain
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 3 cited references ↓
Total iron binding capacity goes on 83550. Paired with serum iron (83540), it gives transferrin saturation, which separates iron deficiency from anemia of chronic disease. That distinction matters before elective joint replacement or a long spine fusion, because iron-deficient patients can be loaded with iron before surgery while anemia of inflammation responds less predictably.
TIBC falls under the same Medicare national coverage determination as serum iron. The order needs a covered diagnosis such as iron deficiency anemia, anemia in chronic disease, or a documented blood loss condition. A rheumatoid patient being worked up for a knee replacement often has a legitimate reason through the inflammatory disease itself.
One trap: some labs report transferrin instead of TIBC. Transferrin has a different code. Bill what the lab actually ran, not what the order said. Saturation is a calculation and is not billed separately.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
| Work RVU | 0 |
| Practice expense RVU | 0 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0 |
| Total RVU | 0 |
| Medicare national rate | $0.00 |
| Global period | days |
Payment by site of service
Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.
Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026
| Setting | Medicare rate (national) |
|---|---|
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office | $0.00 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 83550 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Lab measured transferrin but claim shows 83550
- Calculated transferrin saturation billed as a separate test
- Screening diagnosis only
- Diagnosis not on the NCD covered list
- Duplicate billing by office and reference lab
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01Can I bill transferrin saturation separately from 83550?
02Is TIBC the same code as transferrin?
03What diagnosis supports TIBC before surgery?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
Mira Scribe
Mira Scribe records the anemia finding and the reason for iron studies, giving the lab order a diagnosis that matches the coverage rules.
See how Mira captures CPT 83550 documentation