Drug testing billing: getting paid for the tests, and keeping the money
Drug testing is real money for a treatment center. It is also the first thing an insurer looks at when it wants money back.
There are two kinds of tests: a quick screen, and a lab test that confirms it. Insurers cover only so many of each, and they want a reason on the chart for the lab test. Bill more than they allow, or skip the reason, and the claim bounces.
The bigger risk comes later. An insurer can pay for your testing and then, months on, decide you ran too many and take the money back. So every test has to sit inside what the insurer covers, with a clear reason on the chart.
Altair bills your testing to match what each insurer covers, so the claims get paid, and they hold up if the insurer looks again. The money you make on testing stays yours.
Altair is the done-for-you billing service, run by AI, backed by our expert in-house billers. You do not need a billing team of your own. You treat patients. We get you paid.
Common questions
How many drug tests will insurance cover?
It depends on the insurer and how intensive the treatment is. Each one covers only so many screens and lab tests in a period, and most want a reason on the chart before they pay for a lab test. We bill to match what each insurer covers and flag a claim before it goes over.
What billing codes are used for drug testing?
The quick screens bill under 80305 to 80307, and the lab tests that confirm them bill under G0480 to G0483, by how many drug classes you check. We put the right code on each claim so it does not deny on the code.
Can an insurer take the money back after paying for testing?
Yes. An insurer can pay for testing and then take the money back months later if it decides you ran too many. We bill every test to match what the insurer covers, so when it looks again, the claim holds up, and the money stays yours.
Sources: CMS drug testing codes (80305 to 80307 for screens, G0480 to G0483 for lab confirmation); Medicare coverage policies for urine drug testing; OIG guidance on drug-testing overuse (2024 to 2026).