--- title: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test Test type: test id: interleukin-6 url: "https://www.test-well.com/tests/il-6-test" price_usd: 39.99 lab_fee_usd: 6 all_in_usd: 45.99 cpt: 83520 category: Inflammation & Autoimmune sample: Blood draw fasting_required: false results_in: "3–5 business days" labs: - Quest - Labcorp - BioReference orderable: true reviewed_at: 2026-10-19 order_url: "https://www.test-well.com/cart?add=il-6-test&utm_source=ai_agent&utm_medium=markdown" --- # Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test Test > Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test measures Interleukin-6 (IL-6) from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $39.99 plus a $6 lab processing fee, needs no fasting, and results post in 3–5 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest or Labcorp. **Also known as:** IL-6 Blood Test, Interleukin 6 Test, IL6 Test ## Key facts | Fact | Value | | --- | --- | | Price | $39.99 + $6 lab processing fee per order ($45.99 all-in for this test alone) | | CPT code | 83520 | | Sample | Blood draw | | Fasting | Not required | | Results | 3–5 business days | | Labs | Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp, BioReference (NY & NJ) | | Biomarkers measured | 1 | | Physician authorization | Included — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed | | Payment | Card, HSA or FSA; cash-pay only (no insurance billing) | ## What does the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test test tell you? Measures interleukin-6, a signalling protein that rises early in inflammation — used alongside CRP to gauge inflammatory activity in autoimmune disease, infection, and metabolic conditions. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine — a chemical messenger released by immune cells, fat tissue, and muscle — that tells the liver to make C-reactive protein and drives fever and the acute-phase response. It rises within hours of an infection, injury, or flare of an inflammatory disease, often before CRP does, and it is chronically a little high in obesity, insulin resistance, chronic kidney disease, and smoking. Clinicians measure it to follow inflammatory activity in rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions, to assess severity in serious infections, and in research on ageing and cardiovascular risk. Results are reported in pg/mL with the laboratory's reference range; most healthy adults are in the low single digits. Because IL-6 moves fast, one raised value usually means something recent — a cold, a hard workout the day before, poor sleep — and is best repeated when you are well before drawing conclusions. It does not diagnose a specific disease on its own. **Clinical use:** Inflammation and autoimmune biomarkers help identify systemic inflammation, suspected autoimmune disease, and disease activity in known autoimmune conditions. ## Who should order it? Anyone with unexplained joint pain, rashes, fatigue, or recurrent fevers; patients with known autoimmune disease monitoring flares; or individuals with strong family history of autoimmune conditions. ## Biomarkers measured - Interleukin-6 (IL-6) ## Price by lab | Lab | Test price | All-in (with $6 fee) | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Quest Diagnostics | $99.99 | $105.99 | Choose at checkout; walk-in patient service centers nationwide (not NY/NJ) | | Labcorp | $39.99 | $45.99 | Choose at checkout; walk-in patient service centers nationwide (not NY/NJ) | | BioReference (NY & NJ) | $69.99 | $75.99 | New York and New Jersey orders route here automatically | Rhode Island is not served. Prices are identical online and in the lab; no draw fee or physician fee is added. ## How much does an Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test cost? An Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test costs $39.99 at TestWell — $45.99 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 $180.00 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 or Labcorp) | $39.99 | $45.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order | | TestWell (drawn at BioReference — New York & New Jersey) | $69.99 | $75.99 | New York and New Jersey orders route to BioReference; Quest Health and Labcorp OnDemand don't take self-ordered draws in those states | | Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $180.00 | $180.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher | ## How do you prepare? No fasting required. Avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours before the draw and, if you can, schedule it when you are not acutely ill — both raise IL-6 temporarily. A morning draw is easiest to compare over time. ## Related conditions - Autoimmune disease (M35.9) - Systemic inflammation (R79.89) ## Common questions about the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test test ### How long do Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test results take? Most Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test results are available in 3–5 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. ### What sample is collected for the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test? 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. ### How much does the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test cost without insurance? On TestWell, the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test is $39.99. Walk-in hospital labs typically bill $180 or more without insurance. Insurance is not required — pay one all-in price. ### Do I need to fast before the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test? No fasting required for the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test. No fasting required. Avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours before the draw and, if you can, schedule it when you are not acutely ill — both raise IL-6 temporarily. A morning draw is easiest to compare over time. ### Where can I get the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test done? The Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test is available at Quest and Labcorp 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. ### What is the CPT code for an Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test? CPT 83520. That is the billing code Quest, Labcorp and hospital laboratories all use for an Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test, 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 Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Test for $39.99 with the physician order included, no insurance required, and results in 3–5 business days. ## How to order 1. Add to cart: https://www.test-well.com/cart?add=il-6-test&utm_source=ai_agent&utm_medium=markdown 2. Create an account or sign in, confirm your state and preferred lab, pay by card, HSA or FSA. 3. A licensed physician authorizes the order (usually within minutes); the requisition arrives by email. 4. Walk into any Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp, BioReference (NY & NJ) patient service center — no appointment needed at most sites. 5. Results post to your TestWell portal in 3–5 business days with reference ranges and flags. ## Related - [Celiac Disease Panel](https://www.test-well.com/tests/celiac-disease-comprehensive) — $124.99 - [Celiac Disease Screen (tTG-IgA + Total IgA)](https://www.test-well.com/tests/celiac-disease-screen) — $49.99 - [Immunoglobulins Panel (IgG, IgA, IgM), Quantitative](https://www.test-well.com/tests/immunoglobulins-panel) — $59.99 - [Rheumatoid Arthritis Antibody Test (Anti-CCP)](https://www.test-well.com/tests/anti-ccp-antibody) — $32.99 - [Sed Rate (ESR)](https://www.test-well.com/tests/sed-rate-esr) — $24.99 - [All Inflammation & Autoimmune tests](https://www.test-well.com/tests/category/inflammation-autoimmune) - [Full test directory](https://www.test-well.com/tests/directory) --- Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD (Medical Reviewer, TestWell); last reviewed 2026-10-19. Review policy: https://www.test-well.com/reviewers/youmna-distefano-md Canonical page: https://www.test-well.com/tests/il-6-test Machine-readable catalog: https://www.test-well.com/api/catalog.json · MCP server: https://www.test-well.com/mcp · Overview for agents: https://www.test-well.com/llms.txt Prices are cash-pay, in USD, and include physician authorization; every order adds one flat $6 lab processing fee. Educational content is not a diagnosis — discuss results with a clinician.