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CPT code 38205: Stem cell collection, allogeneic, blood-derived2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Report this service for apheresis collection of blood-derived stem cells from an allogeneic donor for transplantation, when Medicare coverage criteria are met.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities191 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $68.81 for 38205 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 38205

Stem cell collection, allogeneic, blood-derived

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
1.46
Total RVUs
2.06
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$68.81

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 38205 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 38205 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 38205 covers

Code 38205 represents collection of blood-derived hematopoietic progenitor cells from a donor for an allogeneic transplant. Apheresis staff collect circulating cells from the donor’s blood, commonly after mobilization, in a hospital-based collection setting under the transplant or hematology team. This is the blood collection service, not a bone marrow harvest or the recipient’s transplant procedure.

Select this code for an allogeneic blood collection, rather than an autologous collection or marrow harvest. Document the donor, collection method and date, and transplant context. Medicare pays only in specific circumstances. The 0-day global includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 38205 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

38205 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$65.48
AlaskaUnavailable$93.12
ArizonaUnavailable$67.88
ArkansasUnavailable$65.06
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$69.77
Austin, TXUnavailable$69.61
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$70.35
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$71.49
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$67.05
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$68.45

38205 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
38205 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 38205 rate is calculated

Each of 38205’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

How the rate is built · 38205

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.46

1.46 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.52

0.52 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.08

0.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

2.0600

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$68.81

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 38205

The CMS indicators that decide how 38205 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 38205

Stem cell collection, allogeneic, blood-derived

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

38205 without 51 · national facility

$68.81

Stem cell collection, allogeneic, blood-derived

38205-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$34.41

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

38205 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 38205

    Stem cell collection, allogeneic, blood-derived1.46 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 38206

    Stem cell collection, autologous, blood-derived1.46 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 38230

    Marrow harvest, allogeneic donor3.41 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 38240

    Cell transplant, allogeneic, per donor3.9 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

38206Stem cell collectionAutologous, blood-derived
Both describe blood-derived stem cell collection, but 38205 is for an allogeneic donor and 38206 is for autologous transplantation.
38230Marrow harvestAllogeneic donor
Use 38230 for an allogeneic bone marrow harvest. Use 38205 when the donor’s circulating cells are collected by apheresis.
38240Cell transplantAllogeneic, per donor
38205 is the donor collection service; 38240 describes the allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant procedure for the recipient.

Codes related to 38205

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 38205
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
38206Stem cell collection, autologous, blood-derivedBlood-derived stem cell collection for autologous rather than allogeneic transplantation.No office rate
Used instead
38230Marrow harvest, allogeneic donorAllogeneic collection by bone marrow harvest rather than blood apheresis.No office rate
Often billed with
38207Stem cell cryopreservation, freezing-based preservationMay accompany collection when the harvested product is cryopreserved during the same encounter.No office rate

38205 billing questions

How does 38205 differ from 38206?

38205 is for blood-derived stem cell collection from an allogeneic donor. Use 38206 for blood-derived collection for autologous transplantation.

When is 38230 used instead?

38230 describes an allogeneic bone marrow harvest. Choose 38205 when the cells are collected from blood by apheresis rather than harvested from marrow.

Does 38205 include cryopreservation?

It represents the collection service. When the collected product is also cryopreserved, 38207 may describe that separate processing service if performed and documented.

How should units be counted?

Report the service per collection, not per bag or aliquot. Documentation should identify the collection session.

Which assistant or surgeon modifiers are supported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only with documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.

Will Medicare pay for every allogeneic collection?

No. CMS lists restricted coverage: payment is limited to specific circumstances. The record should support the applicable coverage circumstances and the transplant-related collection.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 38205PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,711 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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