Measurement of lactate dehydrogenase in blood or fluid, a nonspecific marker of tissue breakdown used in tumor, hemolysis, and muscle injury workups.
- 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 specifying total LDH
- Diagnosis such as bone neoplasm, suspected malignancy, or rhabdomyolysis
- Imaging or exam findings that prompted the test
- Lab report with total LDH result
- Surveillance interval if ordered during tumor follow-up
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 lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is billed with 83615. It rises when cells break down, so it is nonspecific, but it has a real place in orthopedic oncology. Elevated LDH carries prognostic weight in osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, and orthopedic oncologists order it at diagnosis and during surveillance.
General orthopedic practices see it less often: a crush injury with possible muscle breakdown, a suspected hemolytic process, or a lytic lesion workup before referral. It is not part of the BMP or CMP, so it is billed on its own line when ordered with a CMP.
LDH isoenzymes are a different code. Do not bill 83615 when the lab separated isoenzymes. Payers look for a diagnosis that explains why tissue breakdown is being measured: a bone tumor, a suspected malignancy, hemolysis, or muscle injury. Generic joint pain does not support it.
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 83615 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Diagnosis limited to joint pain or sprain
- Isoenzyme testing billed as total LDH
- Ordered routinely with every panel without a reason
- Surveillance frequency beyond payer policy
- Duplicate claim from office and reference lab
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01Is LDH included in a CMP (metabolic panel)?
02Why do orthopedic oncologists order LDH?
03Can I bill 83615 for LDH isoenzymes?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
Mira Scribe
Mira Scribe captures the lesion or injury findings that led to the LDH order, so the diagnosis on the claim explains the test.
See how Mira captures CPT 83615 documentation