CPT code 81479: Molecular pathology, unlisted procedure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 81479 covers

81479 identifies an unlisted molecular pathology procedure: a molecular pathology service for which no more specific procedure code describes the work. A molecular diagnostic or clinical laboratory may report it when the service does not fit a defined molecular pathology code. Selection depends on the procedure performed, not simply on the fact that a test concerns genetic material or was ordered for an inherited or cancer-related condition. Specific codes describe services such as mitochondrial gene analysis, whole mitochondrial genome analysis, and genomic profiling.

Medicare assigns status X, meaning the service is not paid under the physician fee schedule because it is not a physician service under the Medicare statute. When covered, payment is made under another fee schedule or payment system. Use a specific molecular pathology code when the performed service meets that code's definition rather than reporting 81479. The unlisted code does not identify a particular assay or gene-count tier.

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 81479 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

81479 rates by state

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

How the 81479 rate is calculated

Each of 81479’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 81479

81479 has no global surgery period, no multiple-procedure, bilateral or assistant-at-surgery adjustment, and no professional/technical split. What changes the payment is where the service happens: the place of service on the claim decides whether Medicare pays the office or the facility rate.

81479 compared with similar codes

How to choose

81460Mitochondrial genomeComplete genome with heteroplasmy

81460 describes whole mitochondrial genome analysis. Use 81479 only when no specific code describes the procedure performed.

81440Mitochondrial gene panelAt least 100 nuclear genes

81440 describes mitochondrial gene analysis. 81479 is for a molecular pathology procedure without a specific code that fits.

81445Tumor gene panel5–50 genes, DNA or DNA/RNA

81445 describes qualifying solid tumor genomic profiling of 5–50 genes. Use 81479 only when the procedure does not meet a specific code's definition.

81455Tumor genomic panel51+ genes, DNA or DNA/RNA

81455 describes qualifying solid or hematologic neoplasm genomic profiling of 51 or more genes. Use 81479 when no specific code describes the procedure.

Codes related to 81479

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