CPT code 39401: Mediastinoscopy, mediastinal tissue biopsy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Delaware

Report mediastinoscopy with biopsy when a surgeon uses a mediastinoscope to sample a mediastinal mass or tissue rather than mediastinal lymph nodes.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality177 Medicare services in 2024

In Delaware, Medicare pays $288.17 for 39401 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Not available in this settingOffice (non-facility)
$288.17Hospital or facility

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 39401 nationwide

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

We’ll open 39401 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Delaware
  2. What 39401 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 39401 covers

A thoracic surgeon typically performs this procedure in an operating room, advancing a mediastinoscope through an incision at the base of the neck to reach and biopsy a mediastinal mass or other mediastinal tissue. The approach provides access to tissue behind the sternum for diagnostic evaluation, including in patients being assessed for a mediastinal lesion. The biopsy is part of the reported service.

Choose this code for mediastinal tissue or mass biopsy; use the lymph-node biopsy code when the sampled targets are mediastinal lymph nodes. The operative report should identify the mediastinal target and document the scope-guided biopsy. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and 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.

How Delaware compares for 39401

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 39401 runs from $259.08 in Wisconsin to $365.95 in Alaska. Delaware pays $288.17. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

39401 in Delaware vs other payment areas
  1. Delaware · this page$288.17
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$298.12+$9.95
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$319.86+$31.69
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$362.93+$74.76
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$351.28+$63.11
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$341.34+$53.17
  7. Alaska · Alaska$365.95+$77.78

Other areas in Delaware first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

39401 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama—$264.52
ArkansasArkansas—$261.13
ArizonaArizona—$284.03
Bakersfield, CACalifornia—$285.58
Chico, CACalifornia—$282.01
El Centro, CACalifornia—$282.23
Fresno, CACalifornia—$282.01
Hanford, CACalifornia—$282.01

39401 rates by state

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

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
39401 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

See 39401 in every payment locality

How the 39401 rate is calculated

Each of 39401’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 · 39401

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work5.30

5.30 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense2.14

2.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.32

1.32 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

8.7600

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$292.59

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

The exact Delaware inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

4,778

Code
39401
Physician work
5.30
Practice expense
2.14
Malpractice
1.32

GPCI2026.csv

40

Locality
Delaware
Physician work
1.005
Practice expense
0.988
Malpractice
0.899
Facility calculation for 39401 in Delaware
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work5.30× 1.0055.3265
Practice expense2.14× 0.9882.1143
Malpractice1.32× 0.8991.1867
Total RVUs8.6275
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Facility rate, Delaware$288.17

Facility: (5.3 × 1.005 + 2.14 × 0.988 + 1.32 × 0.899) × $33.4009 = $288.17

Open 39401 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 39401

The CMS indicators that decide how 39401 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 39401

Mediastinoscopy, mediastinal tissue biopsy

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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
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

39401 without 51 · national facility

$292.59

Mediastinoscopy, mediastinal tissue biopsy

39401-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$146.30

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

How 39401 has changed in Delaware

39401 · Office / nonfacility

Rate unavailable

Effective 2026-10-01

A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release
  1. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    No ratechanged toNo rate

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D, RVU17A, RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D, RVU18AR1, RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D, RVU19A, RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D, RVU20A, RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D, RVU21A, RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D, RVU22A, RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D, RVU23A, RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D, RVU24A, RVU24AR, RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D, RVU25A, RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D, RVU26A, RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: No rate

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D, RVU14A, RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D, RVU15A, RVU15B, RVU15C, RVU15D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01Not available in this setting$288.17RVU26D
2026-07-01Not available in this setting$288.17RVU26C
2026-04-01Not available in this setting$288.17RVU26B
2026-01-01Not available in this setting$288.17RVU26A
2025-10-01Not available in this setting$295.75RVU25D
2025-07-01Not available in this setting$295.75RVU25C
2025-04-01Not available in this setting$295.75RVU25B
2025-01-01Not available in this setting$295.75RVU25A
2024-10-01Not available in this setting$302.06RVU24D
2024-07-01Not available in this setting$302.06RVU24C
2024-04-01Not available in this setting$302.06RVU24B
2024-03-09Not available in this setting$302.06RVU24AR
2024-01-01Not available in this setting$297.13RVU24A
2023-10-01Not available in this setting$306.17RVU23D
2023-07-01Not available in this setting$306.17RVU23C
2023-04-01Not available in this setting$306.17RVU23B
2023-01-01Not available in this setting$306.17RVU23A
2022-10-01Not available in this setting$312.63RVU22D
2022-07-01Not available in this setting$312.63RVU22C
2022-04-01Not available in this setting$312.63RVU22B
2022-01-01Not available in this setting$312.63RVU22A
2021-10-01Not available in this setting$313.22RVU21D
2021-07-01Not available in this setting$313.22RVU21C
2021-04-01Not available in this setting$313.22RVU21B
2021-01-01Not available in this setting$313.22RVU21A
2020-10-01Not available in this setting$326.19RVU20D
2020-07-01Not available in this setting$326.19RVU20C
2020-04-01Not available in this setting$326.19RVU20B
2020-01-01Not available in this setting$326.19RVU20A
2019-10-01Not available in this setting$331.31RVU19D
2019-07-01Not available in this setting$331.31RVU19C
2019-04-01Not available in this setting$331.31RVU19B
2019-01-01Not available in this setting$331.31RVU19A
2018-10-01Not available in this setting$332.45RVU18D
2018-07-01Not available in this setting$332.45RVU18C
2018-04-01Not available in this setting$332.45RVU18B
2018-01-01Not available in this setting$332.45RVU18AR1
2017-10-01Not available in this setting$332.37RVU17D
2017-07-01Not available in this setting$332.37RVU17C
2017-04-01Not available in this setting$332.37RVU17B
2017-01-01Not available in this setting$332.37RVU17A
2016-10-01Not available in this setting$332.77RVU16D
2016-07-01Not available in this setting$332.77RVU16C
2016-04-01Not available in this setting$332.77RVU16B
2016-01-01Not available in this setting$332.77RVU16A
2015-10-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU15D
2015-07-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU15C
2015-04-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU15B
2015-01-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU15A
2014-10-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU14D
2014-07-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU14C
2014-04-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU14B
2014-01-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU14A
2013-10-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU13D
2013-07-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU13C
2013-04-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU13B
2013-01-01Not in this releaseNot in this releaseRVU13AR

Price 39401 for an earlier date of service

Where the Delaware rate applies

Delaware is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 79 cities and communities in Delaware. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Arden
  • Ardencroft
  • Ardentown
  • Bear
  • Bellefonte
  • Bethany Beach
  • Bethel
  • Blades

Browse all communities in Delaware

39401 billing questions

When should 39401 be chosen instead of 39402?

Use 39401 when the mediastinoscopy biopsy targets a mediastinal mass or other mediastinal tissue. Use 39402 when the sampled targets are mediastinal lymph nodes.

Is the biopsy separately reported from the mediastinoscopy?

No. The biopsy is included in the mediastinoscopy service described by this code.

What care is included in the global period?

The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.

Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery modifier be used?

Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this procedure.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.

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 39401PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,778 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for DelawareGPCI2026.csv, line 40 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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