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CPT code 76988: Epicardial ultrasound, image acquisition only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports acquisition of intraoperative epicardial cardiac ultrasound images during congenital heart disease surgery, separate from the physician’s interpretation and report.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare rate · 76988

Epicardial ultrasound, image acquisition only

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 76988 →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 76988 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 76988 covers

Code 76988 identifies image acquisition for diagnostic intraoperative epicardial cardiac ultrasound in congenital heart disease. During cardiac surgery, the ultrasound probe is placed on the heart to obtain images for assessment of cardiac anatomy and the operative result. The service is performed in the operating room as part of an intraoperative cardiac ultrasound examination. Code 76989 represents the interpretation and report portion when components are reported separately; 76987 describes the complete study.

Medicare assigns status C: the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim, with no national physician fee schedule payment published. CMS recognizes professional and technical portions for this diagnostic test. Modifier TC identifies the equipment-and-staff technical service; modifier 26 identifies physician interpretation and report. Billing without a modifier represents the global service. For component billing, 76988 is the image-acquisition portion and 76989 is the interpretation-and-report portion.

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 76988 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

76988 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

76988 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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
76988 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 76988 rate is calculated

Each of 76988’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 · 76988

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 76988

The CMS indicators that decide how 76988 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 76988

Epicardial ultrasound, image acquisition only

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

76988 without 26 · national facility

$0.00

Epicardial ultrasound, image acquisition only

76988-26 · Professional component

$76.82

Pays only the interpretation and report.

When to use modifier 26

76988 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 76988

    Epicardial ultrasound, image acquisition only0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 76987

    Epicardial ultrasound, congenital heart disease0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 76989

    Epicardial ultrasound, interpretation and report0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 76984

    Aortic ultrasound, intraoperative diagnostic0 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

76987Epicardial ultrasoundCongenital heart disease
76987 describes the complete intraoperative epicardial cardiac ultrasound study. Code 76988 represents image acquisition; 76989 represents interpretation and report.
76989Epicardial ultrasoundInterpretation and report
76989 represents the physician’s interpretation and report, while 76988 represents image acquisition.
76984Aortic ultrasoundIntraoperative diagnostic
76984 is for diagnostic intraoperative ultrasound of the thoracic aorta. Code 76988 concerns epicardial cardiac imaging in congenital heart disease.

Codes related to 76988

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

Codes related to 76988
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Component of
76987Epicardial ultrasound, congenital heart diseaseThe complete intraoperative epicardial cardiac ultrasound study includes acquisition, interpretation, and report.No office rate
Often billed with
76989Epicardial ultrasound, interpretation and reportRepresents the interpretation-and-report portion when the study components are reported separately.No office rate
Used instead
76984Aortic ultrasound, intraoperative diagnosticFor diagnostic intraoperative ultrasound focused on the thoracic aorta rather than epicardial cardiac imaging.No office rate

76988 billing questions

How does 76988 differ from 76987?

76988 represents image acquisition, while 76987 describes the complete intraoperative epicardial cardiac ultrasound study, including interpretation and report.

When is 76989 reported with 76988?

When the study’s components are reported separately, 76988 represents image acquisition and 76989 represents the interpretation and report.

Which modifier identifies the technical service?

Modifier TC identifies the equipment-and-staff technical service. Modifier 26 identifies physician interpretation and report; billing without a modifier represents the global service.

What does Medicare status C mean for 76988?

The Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim; CMS publishes no national physician fee schedule payment for the code.

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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