Lab · CPT 80053

What is CPT code 80053?

Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP).

By Justin Feldstein · Reviewed 2026-06-15

What it covers

A bundled blood test that checks fourteen things at once — blood sugar, kidney markers, the electrolytes, plus a set of liver enzymes and proteins. It's the broader cousin of the basic panel, billed as a single line rather than as fourteen separate tests. One charge should cover the whole group.

When you'd see it

A standard part of an annual physical or any workup where the doctor wants a wide metabolic snapshot, including how your liver is doing.

Roughly what it costs

$10–$80 commonly billed

A ballpark on the billed amount. After insurance or a negotiated rate, what you owe is often far lower. Always compare against your Explanation of Benefits (EOB).

What's usually billed with it

The blood draw (36415) rides along with it, and it's frequently paired with a CBC (85025) or lipid panel (80061).

80053 vs 80048

The basic panel (80048) is the same test minus the liver and protein measures, so a bill showing both for one draw is double-counting the overlap. See 80048 (basic metabolic panel).

What to watch for

Watch for the panel AND its individual components billed separately — that 'unbundling' means paying twice for tests the single panel already covers.

Specific things to question

• The panel and its individual components (a separate glucose, calcium, or liver enzyme) both billed — a form of unbundling.
• Billed together with the basic metabolic panel (80048) for the same draw, which double-counts the shared eight tests.
• Charged twice for a single specimen.

How to check this charge on your own bill

Find 80053 on your itemized bill and match it against your EOB. Confirm it appears only once, that any bundled services aren't also billed separately, and that the amount matches what your insurer says it allowed. If something doesn't line up, that's a fair question for the billing office.