CPT code 38228: CAR T-cell administration, autologous cells2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $318.98 for 38228 nationally in the office and $149.97 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $285.83–$420.65.

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

What 38228 covers

This code identifies the administration step of autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. A patient’s T lymphocytes are collected and modified for treatment, then the resulting cell product is administered back to that patient. Hematologists, oncologists, and other clinicians involved in cellular therapy typically oversee the infusion in a hospital or specialized treatment setting. The code is specific to CAR T-cell administration, not conventional chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation.

Select the code for the actual administration of the autologous CAR T-cell product. Collection and preparation activities occur at different stages and are represented by separate codes in the CAR T sequence when applicable. Documentation should identify the autologous CAR T product and record that it was administered, including the date and supporting infusion documentation. CMS assigns physician work, practice expense, and malpractice relative values to the service.

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 38228 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

38228 rates by state

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

How the 38228 rate is calculated

Each of 38228’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 38228

38228 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.

38228 compared with similar codes

How to choose

38227CAR-T preparationBefore administration

Use 38227 for receipt and preparation of the CAR T-cell product; use 38228 for administering it to the patient.

38226CAR T-cell preparationFor transduction

38226 concerns preparing blood-derived T lymphocytes for transport. 38228 concerns administering the completed autologous CAR T-cell product.

38241Cell transplantAutologous cells

38241 describes autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation. 38228 is specific to administration of autologous CAR T cells.

Codes related to 38228

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