CPT code 43756: Duodenal aspiration, single specimen2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports diagnostic passage of a tube into the duodenum to aspirate one specimen of duodenal contents for laboratory evaluation.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $303.28 for 43756 nationally in the office and $47.10 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $263.25–$426.89.

Medicare rate · 43756

Duodenal aspiration, single specimen

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
0.75
Total RVUs
9.08
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$303.28

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 43756 →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 43756 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 43756 covers

A clinician passes an intubation tube into the duodenum and aspirates duodenal contents for diagnostic testing. The service may be performed when a specimen of duodenal fluid is needed for laboratory evaluation; it is distinct from collecting gastric contents or placing a tube for therapeutic use. The code is for one specimen, making specimen count a key distinction from its duodenal sibling code.

Report the service when documentation supports diagnostic duodenal intubation and aspiration of a single specimen. The record should identify the duodenal site, the diagnostic purpose, and the specimen obtained. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this 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 43756 pays more and less

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

109 payment localities

$263.25 to $426.89

$263.25$345.07$426.89
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

43756 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$267.78$43.62
Alaska$332.69$59.85
Arizona$294.39$46.15
Arkansas$263.25$43.18
Atlanta, GA$308.24$47.96
Austin, TX$319.07$48.02
Bakersfield, CA$329.33$48.55
Baltimore area, MD$324.38$49.49
Beaumont, TX$278.28$45.16
Brazoria, TX$300.48$46.60

43756 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.

$263.25

$378.00

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
43756 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$332.691
AL$267.781
AR$263.251
AZ$294.391
CA$329.11–$426.8929
CO$320.731
CT$325.521
DC$354.011
DE$299.861
FL$292.32–$318.173
GA$273.93–$308.242
GU$340.091
HI$340.091
IA$278.421
ID$279.981
IL$280.59–$312.714
IN$281.941
KS$275.631
KY$272.461
LA$271.45–$287.322
MA$317.83–$357.572
MD$306.65–$354.013
ME$280.33–$299.932
MI$279.58–$295.232
MN$309.641
MO$265.15–$290.043
MS$264.321
MT$303.281
NC$283.951
ND$301.891
NE$280.581
NH$314.301
NJ$329.89–$349.162
NM$280.851
NV$303.171
NY$288.79–$359.035
OH$279.301
OK$273.241
OR$301.48–$333.712
PA$280.53–$315.492
PR$306.281
RI$312.611
SC$281.961
SD$301.731
TN$277.091
TX$278.28–$319.078
UT$286.491
VA$297.90–$354.012
VI$306.281
VT$299.371
WA$317.67–$366.732
WI$290.071
WV$268.151
WY$302.671

How the 43756 rate is calculated

Each of 43756’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 · 43756

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.75

0.75 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense8.26

8.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.07

0.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

9.0800

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$303.28

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 43756

The CMS indicators that decide how 43756 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 43756

Duodenal aspiration, single specimen

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 80 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

43756 without 80 · national office

$303.28

Duodenal aspiration, single specimen

43756-80 · Assistant: 16%

$48.52

A physician assistant at surgery is paid 16% of the surgeon’s fee schedule amount.

When to use modifier 80

43756 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 43756

    Duodenal aspiration, single specimen0.75 wRVU

    $303.28

  • 43757

    Duodenal aspiration, multiple specimens1.23 wRVU

    $407.82+$104.54

  • 43754

    Gastric aspiration, single specimen0.44 wRVU

    $339.35+$36.07

  • 43755

    Gastric aspiration, multiple diagnostic specimens0.92 wRVU

    $224.45−$78.83

  • 43753

    Gastric aspiration, therapeutic decompression0.44 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

43757Duodenal aspirationMultiple specimens
Both codes describe diagnostic duodenal intubation with aspiration. Choose 43756 for one specimen and 43757 when multiple specimens are obtained.
43754Gastric aspirationSingle specimen
43754 is for diagnostic aspiration of a gastric specimen; 43756 is for a duodenal specimen.
43755Gastric aspirationMultiple diagnostic specimens
43755 covers multiple diagnostic gastric specimens. 43756 concerns a single specimen from the duodenum.
43753Gastric aspirationTherapeutic decompression
43753 describes therapeutic gastric intubation with aspiration. 43756 is diagnostic sampling from the duodenum.

43756 billing questions

When should 43756 be chosen over 43757?

Use 43756 for aspiration of one diagnostic duodenal specimen. The related 43757 code is for multiple specimens.

How does this differ from gastric intubation codes?

43756 involves diagnostic intubation and aspiration in the duodenum. Codes 43754 and 43755 concern gastric specimens, with the specimen count distinguishing those codes.

Can tube placement be billed separately?

The intubation and aspiration are part of this diagnostic service. Do not separately report a tube-placement service for the same intubation.

What documentation supports reporting 43756?

Document that the tube reached the duodenum, that aspiration was performed for diagnostic evaluation, and that one specimen was obtained.

Can modifier 50 be used, or can co-surgeons be reported?

Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery; an assistant at surgery may be paid.

What care is included in the global period?

The service has a 0-day global period, which includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.

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 43756PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,287 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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