CPT code 76988: Epicardial ultrasound, image acquisition only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports acquisition of intraoperative epicardial cardiac ultrasound images during congenital heart disease surgery, separate from the physician’s interpretation and report.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 76988 in Texas.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
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 in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | Unavailable |
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
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
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 1 | Diagnostic 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.
76988 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
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.
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
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