Cost analysis for CPT G0481 — Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing (1) drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including, but not limited to gc/ms (any type, single or tandem) and lc/ms
Average Medicare Payment
$151.57
2023 data
Total Payments (2023)
$67.6M
Services (2023)
444.0K
Price Change (2016–2023)
+31.2%
| Year | Avg Payment | Total Payments | Services | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $115.53 | $71.7M | 609.7K | — |
| 2017 | $151.43 | $97.7M | 632.0K | +31.1% |
| 2018 | $150.14 | $94.4M | 621.7K | -0.9% |
| 2019 | $150.64 | $93.1M | 612.8K | +0.3% |
| 2020 | $153.34 | $78.0M | 505.8K | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $154.41 | $76.3M | 491.4K | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $152.69 | $68.8M | 448.7K | -1.1% |
| 2023 | $151.57 | $67.6M | 444.0K | -0.7% |
The most expensive state pays 1.1x more than the cheapest for this procedure. MT averages $153.46 vs MS at $142.47.
| State | Avg Payment | Total Payments | Services | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MT | $153.46 | $74.6K | 486 | 6 |
| NY | $153.33 | $1.5M | 9.5K | 29 |
| NM | $153.23 | $89.9K | 587 | 7 |
| MD | $153.17 | $4.2M | 27.5K | 104 |
| WI | $153.14 | $209.2K | 1.4K | 3 |
| MI | $153.13 | $2.5M | 16.2K | 40 |
| SC | $153.13 | $1.3M | 8.5K | 37 |
| RI | $153.06 | $446.2K | 2.9K | 2 |
| WV | $153.05 | $137.7K | 900 | 5 |
| KY | $152.99 | $3.1M | 20.3K | 82 |
| KS | $152.96 | $481.5K | 3.1K | 3 |
| CA | $152.90 | $6.8M | 44.6K | 52 |
| OR | $152.88 | $245.4K | 1.6K | 17 |
| AK | $152.85 | $263.7K | 1.7K | 6 |
| IA | $152.84 | $62.5K | 409 | 4 |
| NJ | $152.84 | $4.0M | 25.9K | 61 |
| AZ | $152.83 | $945.9K | 6.2K | 55 |
| PA | $152.75 | $2.4M | 15.4K | 63 |
| FL | $152.69 | $5.0M | 32.6K | 218 |
| LA | $152.69 | $424.8K | 2.8K | 19 |
| TX | $152.58 | $2.7M | 17.6K | 129 |
| NC | $152.52 | $9.6M | 62.8K | 134 |
| CT | $152.49 | $458.2K | 3.0K | 13 |
| TN | $152.44 | $4.5M | 29.8K | 62 |
| OK | $152.38 | $1.4M | 9.1K | 33 |
| MO | $152.13 | $122.2K | 803 | 8 |
| NV | $152.09 | $1.5M | 9.8K | 20 |
| IN | $152.06 | $1.2M | 7.9K | 44 |
| GA | $152.06 | $4.3M | 28.3K | 118 |
| MN | $151.69 | $983.2K | 6.5K | 65 |
| ND | $151.68 | $66.4K | 438 | 6 |
| VA | $151.66 | $305.3K | 2.0K | 11 |
| UT | $151.43 | $185.7K | 1.2K | 23 |
| HI | $151.09 | $108.8K | 720 | 1 |
| CO | $151.00 | $49.5K | 328 | 8 |
| IL | $151.00 | $635.8K | 4.2K | 24 |
| OH | $150.91 | $975.9K | 6.5K | 32 |
| AR | $150.71 | $450.2K | 3.0K | 47 |
| MA | $150.38 | $623.3K | 4.1K | 21 |
| ID | $150.34 | $70.2K | 467 | 8 |
| AL | $149.82 | $1.4M | 9.1K | 39 |
| DE | $149.71 | $155.4K | 1.0K | 14 |
| WA | $146.50 | $1.1M | 7.5K | 46 |
| MS | $142.47 | $717.0K | 5.0K | 43 |
| Provider | Specialty | State | Payments | Services | Avg/Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings | Clinical Laboratory | NC | $4.6M | 30.1K | $152.72 |
| Aegis Sciences Corporation | Clinical Laboratory | TN | $3.3M | 21.5K | $152.81 |
| Millennium Health, Llc | Clinical Laboratory | CA | $2.9M | 18.8K | $152.74 |
| Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings | Clinical Laboratory | NC | $2.2M | 14.4K | $151.56 |
| Precision Toxicology, Llc | Clinical Laboratory | CA | $1.4M | 9.0K | $152.92 |
| Med-Lake Laboratory, Llc | Clinical Laboratory | GA | $1.0M | 6.6K | $152.27 |
| Accu Reference Medical Lab, Llc | Clinical Laboratory | NJ | $885.8K | 5.8K | $153.43 |
| Ethos Holding Corp | Clinical Laboratory | KY | $843.0K | 5.5K | $153.40 |
| Paradigm Labs, Llc | Clinical Laboratory | GA | $824.7K | 5.4K | $152.19 |
| Drugscan, Inc. | Clinical Laboratory | PA | $808.2K | 5.3K | $152.83 |
| Vipul Mangal | Interventional Pain Management | MD | $795.1K | 5.2K | $152.58 |
| Mako Medical Laboratories, Llc | Clinical Laboratory | NC | $680.3K | 4.4K | $153.08 |
| Gene Tox Worldwide Llc | Clinical Laboratory | NJ | $601.0K | 3.9K | $153.44 |
| Tristan Shockley | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | MD | $595.4K | 3.9K | $153.46 |
| Md Spine Solutions Llc | Clinical Laboratory | NV | $527.3K | 3.5K | $152.66 |
| Forensic Fluids Laboratories Inc. | Clinical Laboratory | MI | $524.9K | 3.4K | $152.68 |
| Carenexa, Llc | Clinical Laboratory | WA | $468.8K | 3.1K | $152.12 |
| Gh Labb Llc | Clinical Laboratory | FL | $455.6K | 3.0K | $153.09 |
| Labone Llc | Clinical Laboratory | KS | $451.3K | 2.9K | $153.05 |
| Dominion Diagnostics, Llc | Clinical Laboratory | RI | $442.5K | 2.9K | $153.10 |
Based on the data, CPT G0481 shows a 1.1x variation in pricing across states — relatively consistent by Medicare standards.
Costs have increased 31.2% since 2016. Medicare's fee schedule attempts to standardize pricing, though some variation is expected due to geographic cost-of-living adjustments and practice expense differences.
This analysis is based on publicly available CMS data and does not account for patient complexity, comorbidities, or facility-specific factors that may justify pricing differences.
Note: All data is from publicly available Medicare records. OpenMedicare is an independent journalism project not affiliated with CMS.