CPT code 38225: CAR-T cell collection, blood-derived T lymphocytes2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

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

What 38225 covers

This service captures collection of a patient’s blood-derived T lymphocytes for use in developing genetically modified autologous cellular therapy, including CAR-T treatment. Collection occurs before the cells are processed and manufactured into the therapeutic product. It is distinct from harvesting hematopoietic stem cells and from administering the completed cellular therapy.

Medicare assigns CPT 38225 physician fee schedule status B (bundled): Medicare does not pay it separately, and its payment is included in payment for other services. Report the service by collection day, with one unit for each day collection is performed. Preparation of the collected cells for transportation is a separate service identified by 38226; receipt and preparation of the finished product and its administration are separate steps identified by 38227 and 38228, respectively.

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 38225 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

38225 rates by state

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

How the 38225 rate is calculated

Each of 38225’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 38225

38225 has no global surgery period, no multiple-procedure, bilateral or assistant-at-surgery adjustment, and no professional/technical split. What changes the payment is where the service happens: the place of service on the claim decides whether Medicare pays the office or the facility rate.

38225 compared with similar codes

How to choose

38226CAR T-cell preparationFor transduction

Code 38225 is for collecting blood-derived T lymphocytes. Code 38226 is for preparing the collected cells for transportation.

38206Stem cell collectionAutologous, blood-derived

Code 38225 concerns T lymphocytes collected for genetically modified autologous cellular therapy; 38206 concerns autologous stem-cell harvesting.

38228CAR T-cell administrationAutologous cells

Code 38225 identifies collection of the patient’s T lymphocytes. Code 38228 identifies administration of the finished genetically modified cellular therapy.

38205Stem cell collectionAllogeneic, blood-derived

Code 38225 is for blood-derived T lymphocytes collected for autologous cellular therapy. Code 38205 describes harvesting allogeneic stem cells.

Codes related to 38225

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates