Summary & Overview
CPT 84460: Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) (SGPT) Laboratory Test
Headline: CPT 84460: ALT (SGPT) Lab Test Remains a Core Component of Liver Function Assessment
Lead: CPT 84460 represents a laboratory assay for Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a primary biomarker for liver injury and dysfunction. The test is widely used across clinical settings to detect hepatic inflammation, guide diagnostic workups, and monitor disease progression or treatment response.
What this code represents and why it matters nationally: CPT 84460 is the standardized code for ALT (SGPT) testing, enabling consistent reporting and billing for a high-volume laboratory service. ALT testing is clinically central to screening for and managing liver disease, including viral hepatitis, toxic or alcoholic liver injury, and monitoring of hepatotoxic medications. Its ubiquity makes accurate coding and reimbursement important for laboratories and clinicians nationwide.
Key payers covered: Analysis includes major national payers — Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, and UnitedHealthcare — reflecting common commercial coverage considerations for laboratory services.
Overview of what readers will learn: The publication provides a concise reference on the clinical purpose of CPT 84460, typical sites of service, and payer coverage context. Readers will find information valuable for billing staff, lab managers, and clinical teams seeking clarity on how ALT testing is classified, where it is typically performed, and which payers are relevant for coverage and claims workflows. Data not available in the input will be noted where applicable.
CPT Code Overview
CPT 84460 describes the laboratory measurement of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (SGPT). This test quantifies the concentration of ALT, an enzyme commonly assessed to evaluate liver cell injury and monitor hepatic function.
Service Type: Laboratory
Typical Site of Service: Independent Laboratory (POS 81)
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 52-year-old patient with a history of alcohol use disorder presents to a primary care clinic for routine monitoring of liver health. The provider orders serum alanine aminotransferase testing to evaluate hepatocellular injury and to follow known chronic liver conditions. The blood draw is performed in an independent laboratory (POS 81). Results are reported to the ordering clinician electronically and reviewed alongside other hepatic function tests as part of ongoing management of liver disease.
Coding Specifications
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Common Modifiers:
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91— Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test: used when the same laboratory test is repeated on the same patient to confirm prior results or due to an unsatisfactory initial specimen. -
59— Distinct Procedural Service: used when a lab service is distinct or independent from other services provided on the same day and not typically bundled. -
Associated Provider Taxonomies:
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291U00000X— Clinical Medical Laboratory: laboratory service providers performing diagnostic testing. -
207Q00000X— Family Medicine Physician: primary care clinicians who may order ALT testing for screening or monitoring. -
207R00000X— Internal Medicine Physician: specialists managing chronic liver disease and ordering ALT as part of evaluation and follow-up.
Related Diagnoses
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K76.9— Liver disease, unspecifiedALT testing is relevant for detecting and monitoring hepatocellular injury in patients with nonspecific liver disease.
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R74.0— Nonspecific elevation of levels of transaminase and lactic acid dehydrogenase [LDH]This code directly relates to elevated ALT results and indicates biochemical evidence of liver enzyme abnormalities prompting or resulting from ALT measurement.
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B18.2— Chronic viral hepatitis CALT is used to monitor hepatic inflammation and liver injury in chronic hepatitis C infection.
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K70.30— Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver without ascitesALT assessment is part of monitoring ongoing liver injury and progression in alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis.
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K71.6— Toxic liver disease with hepatitis, not elsewhere classifiedALT measurement is used to detect and follow hepatocellular damage from toxic or drug-related liver injury.
Related CPT Codes
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84450— Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (SGOT);AST is another transaminase commonly ordered with ALT to differentiate patterns of hepatocellular injury; frequently ordered together.
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80076— Hepatic function panelThe panel includes multiple liver tests (often including ALT) and is used when comprehensive hepatic assessment is needed; serves as an alternative or complement to individual ALT testing.
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82947— Glucose; quantitative, blood (except reagent strip)Glucose testing may be ordered alongside liver tests for metabolic assessment or pre-procedural evaluation; not specific to ALT but commonly included in broader laboratory workups.
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83036— Hemoglobin; glycosylated (A1C)A1C may be ordered in patients with metabolic risk factors who are being evaluated for liver disease; used in concurrent chronic disease management.
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Common combinations:
84450is commonly ordered together with84460.80076can be used as an alternative when a full hepatic panel is required.
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National commercial averages for CPT 84460 show BUCA (the combined commercial benchmark) at a mean rate of $5.90 versus Medicare at $0.00 in the provided input, indicating Medicare values are not present in the authoritative input. Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, and UnitedHealth Group sit around these commercial levels, with Cigna highest at $7.91 and UnitedHealth Group lowest among the listed commercial payers at $4.48.
Rate dispersion (P75 minus P25) is widest for Cigna (7.00 - 4.00 = $3.00) and Aetna (6.00 - 3.17 ≈ $2.83), indicating broader variability in commercial negotiated rates. The tightest distributions are BCBS (5.80 - 4.00 = $1.80) and UnitedHealth Group (5.00 - 2.00 = $3.00) — UnitedHealth Group’s numeric range equals Cigna’s but starts from a lower base. The table and chart below present the full percentile and mean breakdown for each payer.
Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.