CPT code 59025: Fetal testing, nonstress test2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $50.44 for 59025 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $44.16–$62.72.

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

What 59025 covers

An antepartum nonstress test uses external monitoring to record the fetal heart rate and assess its response to fetal movement. Obstetric clinicians commonly order it for fetal surveillance when pregnancy-related conditions or concerns call for assessment; trained staff may obtain the tracing, with a qualified clinician interpreting and documenting the result. The test does not induce contractions, distinguishing it from a contraction stress test.

Report one service for the documented test, supported by the indication, tracing, and interpretation. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and an unmodified claim represents the global service. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeon and team-surgery payment 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 59025 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

59025 rates by state

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

How the 59025 rate is calculated

Each of 59025’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 59025

The CMS indicators that decide how 59025 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

59025 compared with similar codes

How to choose

59020Fetal stress testContraction-induced monitoring

Choose this code for antepartum fetal heart rate monitoring without induced contractions. Code 59020 describes fetal assessment involving contractions.

59050Labor monitoringConsultant monitoring and report

This code is for an antepartum nonstress test. Code 59050 is a distinct fetal monitoring service with a report, typically associated with labor.

59051Fetal monitoringInterpretation only during labor

This code represents the nonstress test service, which may include technical and professional components. Code 59051 is an interpretation-only fetal monitoring service, typically associated with labor.

76819Biophysical profileWithout nonstress test

Use this code for the nonstress test itself. Code 76819 is a biophysical profile that does not include a nonstress test.

Codes related to 59025

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