Also known as: Free Cortisol Blood Test, Cortisol LC/MS Test, Serum Free Cortisol
CPT code: 82530, 82533the billing code Quest, Labcorp and hospital labs all use for this test
The short answer
Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS) measures Cortisol, Total (LC/MS) and Cortisol, Free (LC/MS) from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $239.99 plus a $6 lab processing fee, needs no fasting, and results post in 4–7 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest.
TestWell Price
$239.99
+ $6 lab processing fee
About 90% of the cortisol in blood is bound to cortisol-binding globulin (CBG) and albumin; only the free fraction acts on tissues. A standard cortisol test measures the total and assumes normal binding proteins — an assumption that fails in common situations. Oestrogen-containing contraception, hormone therapy, and pregnancy raise CBG and so raise total cortisol while free cortisol stays normal, which can mimic Cushing's syndrome; critical illness, liver disease, nephrotic syndrome, and low albumin lower total cortisol while free cortisol may be adequate, which can mimic adrenal insufficiency. This test reports both fractions, measured by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, which also avoids the cross-reactivity with prednisolone and other steroids that affects immunoassays. Timing still matters: cortisol peaks around 8 a.m. and is lowest near midnight, so a morning draw is the convention unless your clinician asks otherwise. A single level does not diagnose Cushing's or Addison's disease — those need dynamic tests (dexamethasone suppression, ACTH stimulation) that your clinician directs.
Hormone testing measures the chemical messengers that regulate energy, mood, sex drive, weight, and reproduction — helping pinpoint imbalances that cause a wide range of symptoms.
Anyone with unexplained fatigue, mood changes, libido changes, weight changes, irregular cycles, or considering hormone replacement therapy.
Sample Type
Blood draw
Fasting
Not required
Results In
4–7 business days · typical; varies by lab and draw day
Performed At
Quest
2 biomarkers tested
Your Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS) results will include values for each of the 2 biomarkers tested, along with reference ranges. Results are reviewed by a licensed physician before being released to your secure portal.
If any values fall outside the normal range, your report will include guidance on what that may mean and recommended next steps. You'll receive an email notification when your results are ready, typically within 4–7 business days.
Typical reference range layout
Lab reports show where your value sits relative to established reference intervals—your physician interprets this in context for you. Already have results? Analyze them with your AI assistant against our physician-reviewed ranges.
Have your blood drawn between 7 and 9 a.m. unless your clinician specified another time; cortisol is highest in the early morning. Avoid heavy exercise, alcohol, and a late night beforehand. Tell the lab about any steroid medication (including inhalers and creams), oestrogen or contraceptive pills, and whether you are pregnant.
What can throw off this result
Physician-reviewed “Before your test” pages — what each factor does, for how long, and what to do about it.
TestWell orders the same Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS) the labs run for doctors' offices, so you can walk into Quest Diagnostics with our requisition — no doctor's visit, a licensed physician authorizes the order, and most patient service centers take walk-ins. The table shows each lab's own test code, the name printed on the requisition, what the lab charges on its own consumer site, and the price through TestWell at that lab (plus one $6 fee per order).
| Lab | Test code | On the requisition | Lab's own site | Through TestWell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quest Diagnostics | — | “Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS)” | not sold direct | $239.99 + $6 |
You choose the lab at checkout; the requisition is written for that lab and arrives by email within minutes. New York and New Jersey orders draw at BioReference. Lab-direct prices are read from the labs' public pages and re-checked regularly.
Where to get it near you: patient service centers by state and city · search by ZIP code
A Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS) costs $239.99 at TestWell — $245.99 all-in, since the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order and there is no draw or physician fee. Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $420.00 self-pay. With insurance you pay your plan's negotiated rate against your deductible; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and HSA/FSA-eligible.
| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TestWell (drawn at Quest) | $239.99 | $245.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
| Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $420.00 | $420.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher |
Competitor prices are read from the linked public pages and re-checked regularly; the labs' sites may add taxes or change prices without notice.
Compare more: Quest Diagnostics price list · Labcorp price list · Quest vs Labcorp · Lab test price checker
Most Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS) results are available in 4–7 business days after your specimen arrives at the lab. You'll get an email the moment results are ready, with everything viewable in your TestWell portal.
Blood draw. A standard venous blood draw, collected at any Quest, Labcorp or BioReference patient service center — walk in with the requisition we email you, no appointment needed at most locations.
On TestWell, the Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS) is $239.99. Walk-in hospital labs typically bill $420 or more without insurance. Insurance is not required — pay one all-in price.
No fasting required for the Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS). Have your blood drawn between 7 and 9 a.m. unless your clinician specified another time; cortisol is highest in the early morning. Avoid heavy exercise, alcohol, and a late night beforehand. Tell the lab about any steroid medication (including inhalers and creams), oestrogen or contraceptive pills, and whether you are pregnant.
The Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS) is available at Quest patient service centers nationwide. Order online at TestWell, pick your preferred lab, and we'll generate a digital requisition for the location closest to you.
Time of day, common medications and caffeine can change a Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS) result without anything being wrong. Time of day can shift Cortisol, Total — A.M. cortisol at 7–9 a.m.; P.M. cortisol as the lab specifies. Common medications can lower Cortisol, Total — cortisol testing needs prescriber guidance. Caffeine can raise Cortisol, Total — no caffeine the morning of a cortisol draw. Each is explained on our physician-reviewed "Before your test" pages; when one applies, remove it and retest.
CPT 82530, 82533. That is the billing code Quest, Labcorp and hospital laboratories all use for a Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS), so it is the number to match on an explanation of benefits, a doctor's order or a price list — the same code, the same test, whichever lab draws it. You do not need the code to order: TestWell sells the Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS) for $239.99 with the physician order included, no insurance required, and results in 4–7 business days.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed October 2026
TestWell Price
$239.99
+ $6 lab processing fee at checkout
No insurance needed · HIPAA compliant
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Free and Total Cortisol Test (LC/MS)
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