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CPT code 76987: Epicardial ultrasound, congenital heart disease2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports diagnostic epicardial cardiac ultrasound during congenital heart surgery, including image acquisition, interpretation, and a report.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare rate · 76987

Epicardial ultrasound, congenital heart disease

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
0
Total RVUs
0.00
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

—

Not priced in the facility setting.

See every locality for 76987 →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 76987 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 76987 covers

This service is diagnostic ultrasound of the heart performed during surgery for congenital heart disease, with an ultrasound probe placed on the heart’s outer surface. The images support intraoperative assessment of cardiac anatomy and function, including evaluation of a repair. The global service includes image acquisition and interpretation with a report. It is provided in the operative setting by clinicians involved in surgical and echocardiographic care.

Medicare lists 76987 as carrier priced (status C) under the Physician Fee Schedule: CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim. Report the global service without a component modifier. When the professional and technical portions are furnished separately, modifier 26 identifies interpretation, while modifier TC identifies the technical portion, including equipment and staff.

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 76987 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

76987 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailableUnavailable
AlaskaUnavailableUnavailable
ArizonaUnavailableUnavailable
ArkansasUnavailableUnavailable
Atlanta, GAUnavailableUnavailable
Austin, TXUnavailableUnavailable
Bakersfield, CAUnavailableUnavailable
Baltimore area, MDUnavailableUnavailable
Beaumont, TXUnavailableUnavailable
Brazoria, TXUnavailableUnavailable

76987 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
76987 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 76987 rate is calculated

Each of 76987’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 · 76987

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.00

0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.00

0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.00

0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

0.0000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$0.00

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 76987

The CMS indicators that decide how 76987 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 76987

Epicardial ultrasound, congenital heart disease

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodXXXThe global surgery concept doesn’t apply.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
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/technical1Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 26 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

76987 without 26 · national facility

$0.00

Epicardial ultrasound, congenital heart disease

76987-26 · Professional component

$95.19

Pays only the interpretation and report.

When to use modifier 26

76987 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 76987

    Epicardial ultrasound, congenital heart disease0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 76988

    Epicardial ultrasound, image acquisition only0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 76989

    Epicardial ultrasound, interpretation and report0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 93315

    Congenital TEE, complete service0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 76984

    Aortic ultrasound, intraoperative diagnostic0 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

76988Epicardial ultrasoundImage acquisition only
76988 identifies image acquisition for intraoperative epicardial ultrasound. Use 76987 for the global service, including acquisition and interpretation with a report.
76989Epicardial ultrasoundInterpretation and report
76989 identifies interpretation and reporting without image acquisition. Use 76987 for the global diagnostic service.
93315Congenital TEEComplete service
93315 is transesophageal echocardiography for congenital cardiac anomalies. 76987 describes diagnostic epicardial ultrasound performed during surgery.
76984Aortic ultrasoundIntraoperative diagnostic
76984 describes diagnostic intraoperative ultrasound of the thoracic aorta. 76987 describes epicardial cardiac ultrasound for congenital heart disease.

Codes related to 76987

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

Codes related to 76987
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Includes component
76988Epicardial ultrasound, image acquisition onlyIdentifies image acquisition for intraoperative epicardial cardiac ultrasound in congenital heart disease.No office rate
76989Epicardial ultrasound, interpretation and reportIdentifies interpretation and reporting for intraoperative epicardial cardiac ultrasound in congenital heart disease.No office rate
Used instead
93315Congenital TEE, complete serviceTransesophageal echocardiography for congenital cardiac anomalies uses an esophageal rather than epicardial approach.No office rate

76987 billing questions

When should 76987 be used instead of 76988 or 76989?

Use 76987 for the global diagnostic intraoperative epicardial ultrasound service. Codes 76988 and 76989 identify image acquisition and interpretation with reporting, respectively.

Which modifiers identify the separate portions?

Modifier 26 identifies interpretation; modifier TC identifies the technical portion, including equipment and staff. Report the global service without a component modifier.

Does 76987 apply to every intraoperative cardiac ultrasound?

No. This code describes diagnostic epicardial cardiac ultrasound during surgery for congenital heart disease, rather than general intraoperative ultrasound guidance or a transesophageal examination.

How does Medicare set payment for 76987?

The Physician Fee Schedule assigns carrier-priced status, with no national payment. The Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim.

What should the record support?

Document the congenital heart surgery context, the epicardial ultrasound examination, and the images and interpretation furnished. For a separately reported portion, document whether the acquisition or interpretation was 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

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