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CPT code 59030: Fetal blood sampling, scalp sample during labor2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Intrapartum fetal scalp blood sampling obtains a specimen for fetal acid-base assessment when labor findings raise concern about fetal well-being.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $98.87 for 59030 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 59030

Fetal blood sampling, scalp sample during labor

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
1.94
Total RVUs
2.96
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$98.87

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 59030 →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 59030 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 59030 covers

During labor, the obstetrician obtains a small blood specimen from the presenting fetal scalp through the cervix to assess fetal acid-base status, often after a concerning fetal heart-rate pattern. The result can help guide whether labor may continue or delivery should be expedited. The procedure is performed in labor and delivery when the cervix and ruptured membranes permit access; it is distinct from prenatal blood sampling through the umbilical cord.

Report 59030 for the scalp sampling procedure. Documentation should identify the intrapartum indication, sampling site, and procedure, along with the clinical assessment and resulting management. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are paid at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery is paid only when medical necessity is documented; 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.

Where 59030 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

59030 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$88.31
AlaskaUnavailable$123.01
ArizonaUnavailable$95.51
ArkansasUnavailable$87.05
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$103.38
Austin, TXUnavailable$97.47
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$93.45
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$105.73
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$96.19
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$94.78

59030 rates by state

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

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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
59030 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

How the 59030 rate is calculated

Each of 59030’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 · 59030

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.94

1.94 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.41

0.41 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.61

0.61 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

2.9600

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$98.87

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 59030

The CMS indicators that decide how 59030 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 59030

Fetal blood sampling, scalp sample during labor

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)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
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

59030 without 51 · national facility

$98.87

Fetal blood sampling, scalp sample during labor

59030-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$49.44

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

59030 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 59030

    Fetal blood sampling, scalp sample during labor1.94 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 59012

    Cordocentesis, prenatal fetal blood sampling3.35 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 59050

    Labor monitoring, consultant monitoring and report0.87 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 59051

    Fetal monitoring, interpretation only during labor0.72 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 59025

    Fetal testing, nonstress test0.52 wRVU

    $50.44

How to choose

59012CordocentesisPrenatal fetal blood sampling
59012 is fetal blood sampling by prenatal cord puncture; 59030 obtains the specimen from the fetal scalp during labor.
59050Labor monitoringConsultant monitoring and report
59050 reports intrapartum fetal monitoring with a report. It does not represent obtaining a fetal scalp blood specimen.
59051Fetal monitoringInterpretation only during labor
59051 covers fetal monitoring interpretation only; 59030 represents the separate scalp sampling procedure.
59025Fetal testingNonstress test
59025 is a fetal non-stress test, generally used for antepartum surveillance. 59030 is an intrapartum specimen-collection procedure.

Codes related to 59030

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

Codes related to 59030
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
59012Cordocentesis, prenatal fetal blood samplingPrenatal fetal blood sampling uses cord puncture rather than a scalp sample during labor.No office rate
59025Fetal testing, nonstress testAntepartum non-stress testing assesses fetal status without intrapartum scalp sampling.$44.16–$62.72
Often billed with
59050Labor monitoring, consultant monitoring and reportMay be reported for separately performed intrapartum fetal monitoring with a report.No office rate
59051Fetal monitoring, interpretation only during laborMay be reported for separately performed fetal monitoring interpretation.No office rate

59030 billing questions

When should 59030 be reported instead of fetal heart-rate monitoring?

Report 59030 when a blood specimen is obtained from the fetal scalp during labor. Monitoring records or interprets fetal heart-rate activity but does not include this sampling procedure.

How is 59030 distinguished from fetal cord blood sampling?

59030 is for obtaining blood from the fetal scalp during labor. Code 59012 describes fetal blood sampling by prenatal cord puncture.

Can modifier 50 be used for 59030?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.

What same-session payment rule applies when another procedure is performed?

Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedure is paid at 50%.

What documentation supports reporting 59030?

Document the intrapartum reason for sampling, the fetal scalp sampling site, and the procedure performed. Include the clinical assessment and how the result affected management.

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 59030PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,634 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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