CPT code 78012: Thyroid uptake, uptake measurement only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports measurement of thyroid radiotracer concentration, commonly during evaluation of hyperthyroidism when uptake data are needed without thyroid imaging.
Medicare pays $86.61–$112.28 for 78012 in the office in California, from Chico, CA to San Benito County, CA. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 78012 covers
This nuclear medicine test measures how much administered radiotracer the thyroid concentrates, using one or more measurements rather than producing a diagnostic thyroid image. It is commonly part of an evaluation of abnormal thyroid function, such as determining whether hyperthyroidism is associated with increased or decreased gland uptake. A nuclear medicine technologist performs the tracer handling and measurement; a qualified physician interprets the results. The service is performed in a nuclear medicine department or other equipped outpatient setting.
Report 78012 when the service consists of thyroid uptake measurement, not a combined uptake-and-imaging study. Documentation should identify the tracer and record the measurement or measurements and the physician’s interpretation. When thyroid imaging is also performed with uptake measurements, 78014 describes the combined service; do not separately report 78012 for the uptake portion included in that study. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
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 78012 pays more and less in California
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
29 payment localities
$86.61 to $112.28
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $86.72 | Unavailable |
| Chico, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| El Centro, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Fresno, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Hanford, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles, CA | $93.24 | Unavailable |
| Madera, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Marin County, CA | $109.76 | Unavailable |
| Merced, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Modesto, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Napa, CA | $102.95 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard, CA | $93.03 | Unavailable |
| Redding, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Rest of California | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Riverside, CA | $87.04 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento, CA | $91.58 | Unavailable |
| Salinas, CA | $91.26 | Unavailable |
| San Benito County, CA | $112.28 | Unavailable |
| San Diego, CA | $93.95 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco, CA | $109.71 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $89.72 | Unavailable |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $112.09 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $95.26 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria, CA | $91.75 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $96.26 | Unavailable |
| Stockton, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo, CA | $102.89 | Unavailable |
| Visalia, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City, CA | $86.61 | Unavailable |
How the 78012 rate is calculated
Each of 78012’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 · 78012
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.19
0.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.17
2.17 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.04
0.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
2.4000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$80.16
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 78012
The CMS indicators that decide how 78012 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 78012
Thyroid uptake, uptake measurement 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
78012 without 26 · national office
$80.16
Thyroid uptake, uptake measurement only
78012-26 · Professional component
$8.68
Pays only the interpretation and report.
78012 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 78014Thyroid scanQuantitative uptake measurement
- 78012 reports uptake measurement alone; 78014 describes thyroid imaging performed with uptake measurements.
- 78013Thyroid imagingWith blood-flow imaging
- 78013 is for thyroid imaging without the uptake measurement service reported by 78012.
- 78020Thyroid uptakeWhole-body metastasis measurement
- 78020 concerns uptake in thyroid carcinoma metastases, while 78012 measures uptake by the thyroid gland.
78012 billing questions
How do I choose between 78012 and 78014?
Use 78012 for uptake measurement without thyroid imaging. Use 78014 when the service includes thyroid imaging along with uptake measurements.
Can 78012 be reported with 78014 for the same study?
No. The uptake measurements are part of the combined service described by 78014, so reporting 78012 separately would duplicate that portion.
Which modifiers identify the professional and technical portions?
Modifier 26 reports the physician’s interpretation, while modifier TC reports the technical service. Reporting without either modifier represents the global service.
Does the number of uptake measurements change the code?
78012 covers a single measurement or multiple measurements. Document the measurement or measurements performed and the interpretation.
What documentation supports 78012?
The record should identify the administered tracer, document the thyroid uptake measurement or measurements, and include the interpreting physician’s findings.
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
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