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CPT code 78099: Unlisted endocrine test, nuclear medicine2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Report an unlisted endocrine nuclear medicine diagnostic procedure when no specific listed code describes the study performed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare rate · 78099

Unlisted endocrine test, nuclear medicine

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 78099 →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 78099 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 78099 covers

78099 identifies an unlisted endocrine diagnostic nuclear medicine procedure: a study in this service area that lacks a specific listed code describing what was performed. It is not the selection for a thyroid uptake, thyroid imaging, parathyroid planar imaging, parathyroid imaging with SPECT and CT, or adrenal cortex-and-medulla imaging service when a corresponding specific code describes the procedure. These specific services are represented by nearby codes such as 78012, 78013, 78014, 78070, 78071, 78072, and 78075.

Medicare assigns 78099 physician fee schedule status C (carrier priced): CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim. The diagnostic test has professional and technical components. Modifier 26 identifies interpretation, while modifier TC identifies the equipment-and-staff portion. Billing without either modifier represents the global service. Select the reporting form that matches the portion furnished.

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 78099 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

78099 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

78099 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
78099 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 78099 rate is calculated

Each of 78099’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 · 78099

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 78099

The CMS indicators that decide how 78099 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 78099

Unlisted endocrine test, nuclear medicine

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

78099 without 26 · national facility

$0.00

Unlisted endocrine test, nuclear medicine

78099-26 · Professional component

$0.00

Pays only the interpretation and report.

When to use modifier 26

78099 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 78099

    Unlisted endocrine test, nuclear medicine0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 78012

    Thyroid uptake, uptake measurement only0.19 wRVU

    $80.16

  • 78014

    Thyroid scan, quantitative uptake measurement0.49 wRVU

    $210.76

  • 78070

    Parathyroid imaging, planar only0.78 wRVU

    $260.86

  • 78075

    Adrenal imaging, cortex or medulla0.72 wRVU

    $387.45

How to choose

78012Thyroid uptakeUptake measurement only
78012 identifies a thyroid uptake measurement. Use 78099 only when no specific listed code describes the endocrine nuclear medicine procedure.
78014Thyroid scanQuantitative uptake measurement
78014 identifies a specific thyroid imaging service. Choose it when that service was performed; reserve 78099 for an unlisted procedure.
78070Parathyroid imagingPlanar only
78070 identifies parathyroid planar imaging. It is the specific choice when the procedure matches that service.
78075Adrenal imagingCortex or medulla
78075 identifies adrenal cortex and medulla imaging. Use 78099 only for an endocrine nuclear medicine procedure not represented by a specific code.

Codes related to 78099

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

Codes related to 78099
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
78012Thyroid uptake, uptake measurement onlyUse for a specifically coded thyroid uptake measurement when that service matches the procedure.$69.29–$112.28
78014Thyroid scan, quantitative uptake measurementUse when the specific thyroid imaging service represented by 78014 matches the procedure.$182.55–$296.36
78070Parathyroid imaging, planar onlyUse for a specifically coded parathyroid planar imaging study.$226.83–$365.09
78072Parathyroid imaging, SPECT with CTUse when the parathyroid imaging service with SPECT and CT matches the procedure.$335.06–$531.51
78075Adrenal imaging, cortex or medullaUse for a specifically coded adrenal cortex and medulla imaging study.$334.95–$547.39

78099 billing questions

When should 78099 be used instead of a specific thyroid or parathyroid code?

Use 78099 when no listed code accurately describes the endocrine diagnostic nuclear medicine procedure. Use a specific thyroid or parathyroid code when it describes the study performed.

How does Medicare price 78099?

It has physician fee schedule status C, or carrier priced. CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim.

Which modifiers identify the professional and technical portions?

Modifier 26 identifies interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical portion involving equipment and staff.

What does a claim without modifier 26 or TC represent?

Billing without either modifier represents the global service, including the professional and technical components.

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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