CPT code 86078: Blood bank service, transfusion reaction investigation2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Colorado

A physician investigates a suspected transfusion reaction by evaluating the clinical event and relevant blood bank findings to help determine its cause.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality6.7K Medicare services in 2024

In Colorado, Medicare pays $52.66 for 86078 in the office and $40.22 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$52.66Office (non-facility)
$40.22Hospital or facility
+2.4%vs the national office rate ($51.44)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 86078 nationwide

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

We’ll open 86078 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Colorado
  2. What 86078 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 86078 covers

This service covers a physician’s investigation of a suspected reaction occurring during or after a blood transfusion. A transfusion medicine physician or pathologist typically reviews the patient’s clinical course and blood bank findings, such as compatibility testing and reaction-workup results, and may discuss the findings with the treating team. The investigation supports decisions about the reaction’s cause and the patient’s transfusion care in a hospital or blood bank setting.

Report 86078 for the physician’s reaction investigation, rather than for an individual laboratory assay or simply because a transfusion reaction workup was ordered. Documentation should identify the suspected reaction, the records and test results reviewed, the physician’s assessment, and any consultation or recommendations. Distinct laboratory tests performed during the workup are reported according to the services actually performed. CMS physician fee schedule values for this code reflect physician work and practice expense.

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.

How Colorado compares for 86078

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 86078 runs from $47.94 in Arkansas to $67.29 in Alaska. Colorado pays $52.66. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

86078 in Colorado vs other payment areas
  1. Colorado · this page$52.66
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$55.62+$2.96
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$56.67+$4.01
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$54.77+$2.11
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$53.91+$1.25
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$57.47+$4.81
  7. Alaska · Alaska$67.29+$14.63

Other areas in Colorado first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

86078 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$48.33$38.10
ArkansasArkansas$47.94$37.90
ArizonaArizona$50.61$39.28
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$53.20$40.38
Chico, CACalifornia$53.01$40.20
El Centro, CACalifornia$53.02$40.21
Fresno, CACalifornia$53.01$40.20
Hanford, CACalifornia$53.01$40.20

86078 rates by state

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

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.

$47.94

$67.29

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
86078 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$67.291
AL$48.331
AR$47.941
AZ$50.611
CA$53.01–$62.4629
CO$52.661
CT$53.871
DC$56.671
DE$51.191
FL$51.44–$54.773
GA$49.70–$52.172
GU$53.341
HI$53.341
IA$48.811
ID$49.031
IL$50.72–$53.914
IN$49.191
KS$48.781
KY$49.181
LA$49.18–$50.542
MA$52.60–$56.212
MD$51.84–$56.673
ME$49.28–$50.652
MI$50.00–$51.922
MN$50.811
MO$48.77–$50.533
MS$48.361
MT$51.431
NC$49.561
ND$50.451
NE$48.931
NH$52.011
NJ$54.58–$56.532
NM$50.191
NV$51.181
NY$49.99–$58.435
OH$49.791
OK$49.031
OR$50.87–$53.612
PA$49.78–$53.092
PR$51.621
RI$52.471
SC$49.741
SD$50.331
TN$48.931
TX$49.61–$52.418
UT$50.121
VA$50.62–$56.672
VI$51.621
VT$50.421
WA$52.45–$56.992
WI$49.481
WV$49.661
WY$51.001

See 86078 in every payment locality

How the 86078 rate is calculated

Each of 86078’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 · 86078

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.92

0.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.57

0.57 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.05

0.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

1.5400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$51.44

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

The exact Colorado inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

10,600

Code
86078
Physician work
0.92
Practice expense
0.57
Malpractice
0.05

GPCI2026.csv

37

Locality
Colorado
Physician work
1.012
Practice expense
1.064
Malpractice
0.781
Office calculation for 86078 in Colorado
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work0.92× 1.0120.9310
Practice expense0.57× 1.0640.6065
Malpractice0.05× 0.7810.0391
Total RVUs1.5766
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Colorado$52.66

Office: (0.92 × 1.012 + 0.57 × 1.064 + 0.05 × 0.781) × $33.4009 = $52.66

Facility: (0.92 × 1.012 + 0.22 × 1.064 + 0.05 × 0.781) × $33.4009 = $40.22

Open 86078 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 86078

86078 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.

Place of service · 86078

Which rate does Medicare pay?

The POS code on the claim line (CMS-1500 box 24B).

POS 11 · non-facility rate · national

$51.44

Non-facility (office)
$51.44
Facility
$39.75

Higher because the practice carries its own overhead.

How 86078 has changed in Colorado

86078 · Office / nonfacility

$52.66

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $0.50 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $52.16 to $52.66 (1.0%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release
  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $52.16changed to$52.66

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 0.94 changed to 0.92
    • Practice expense RVU 0.60 changed to 0.57
    • Malpractice RVU 0.04 changed to 0.05
    • Work GPCI 1.008 changed to 1.012
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.053 changed to 1.064
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.827 changed to 0.781

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $53.60changed to$52.16

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 0.59 changed to 0.60
    • Malpractice RVU 0.05 changed to 0.04

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $52.72changed to$53.60

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $54.09changed to$52.72

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Malpractice RVU 0.04 changed to 0.05
    • Work GPCI 1.005 changed to 1.008
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.050 changed to 1.053
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.797 changed to 0.827
  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $54.18changed to$54.09

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 0.56 changed to 0.59
    • Malpractice RVU 0.05 changed to 0.04
    • Work GPCI 1.001 changed to 1.005
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.047 changed to 1.050
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.767 changed to 0.797

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $54.99changed to$54.18

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 0.57 changed to 0.56

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $56.81changed to$54.99

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Work GPCI 1.000 changed to 1.001
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.033 changed to 1.047
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.905 changed to 0.767

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $57.03changed to$56.81

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 0.58 changed to 0.57
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.018 changed to 1.033
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.042 changed to 0.905

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $58.07changed to$57.03

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 0.61 changed to 0.58

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $57.87changed to$58.07

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.015 changed to 1.018
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.066 changed to 1.042

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $57.33changed to$57.87

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 0.60 changed to 0.61
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.011 changed to 1.015
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.090 changed to 1.066

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $56.81changed to$57.33

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 0.58 changed to 0.60

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $56.52changed to$56.81

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $54.93changed to$56.52

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 0.54 changed to 0.58
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.008 changed to 1.011
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.981 changed to 1.090

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $53.62changed to$54.93

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 0.59 changed to 0.54
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.004 changed to 1.008
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.872 changed to 0.981

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $53.62

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$52.66$40.22RVU26D
2026-07-01$52.66$40.22RVU26C
2026-04-01$52.66$40.22RVU26B
2026-01-01$52.66$40.22RVU26A
2025-10-01$52.16$47.39RVU25D
2025-07-01$52.16$47.39RVU25C
2025-04-01$52.16$47.39RVU25B
2025-01-01$52.16$47.39RVU25A
2024-10-01$53.60$48.69RVU24D
2024-07-01$53.60$48.69RVU24C
2024-04-01$53.60$48.69RVU24B
2024-03-09$53.60$48.69RVU24AR
2024-01-01$52.72$47.90RVU24A
2023-10-01$54.09$49.46RVU23D
2023-07-01$54.09$49.46RVU23C
2023-04-01$54.09$49.46RVU23B
2023-01-01$54.09$49.46RVU23A
2022-10-01$54.18$50.19RVU22D
2022-07-01$54.18$50.19RVU22C
2022-04-01$54.18$50.19RVU22B
2022-01-01$54.18$50.19RVU22A
2021-10-01$54.99$50.98RVU21D
2021-07-01$54.99$50.98RVU21C
2021-04-01$54.99$50.98RVU21B
2021-01-01$54.99$50.98RVU21A
2020-10-01$56.81$53.08RVU20D
2020-07-01$56.81$53.08RVU20C
2020-04-01$56.81$53.08RVU20B
2020-01-01$56.81$53.08RVU20A
2019-10-01$57.03$53.00RVU19D
2019-07-01$57.03$53.00RVU19C
2019-04-01$57.03$53.00RVU19B
2019-01-01$57.03$53.00RVU19A
2018-10-01$58.07$54.04RVU18D
2018-07-01$58.07$54.04RVU18C
2018-04-01$58.07$54.04RVU18B
2018-01-01$58.07$54.04RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$57.87$53.50RVU17D
2017-07-01$57.87$53.50RVU17C
2017-04-01$57.87$53.50RVU17B
2017-01-01$57.87$53.50RVU17A
2016-10-01$57.33$53.34RVU16D
2016-07-01$57.33$53.34RVU16C
2016-04-01$57.33$53.34RVU16B
2016-01-01$57.33$53.34RVU16A
2015-10-01$56.81$52.81RVU15D
2015-07-01$56.81$52.81RVU15C
2015-04-01$56.52$52.55RVU15B
2015-01-01$56.52$52.55RVU15A
2014-10-01$54.93$51.32RVU14D
2014-07-01$54.93$51.32RVU14C
2014-04-01$54.93$51.32RVU14B
2014-01-01$54.93$51.32RVU14A
2013-10-01$53.62$49.52RVU13D
2013-07-01$53.62$49.52RVU13C
2013-04-01$53.62$49.52RVU13B
2013-01-01$53.62$49.52RVU13AR

Price 86078 for an earlier date of service

Where the Colorado rate applies

Colorado is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 485 cities and communities in Colorado. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Acres Green
  • Aetna Estates
  • Aguilar
  • Air Force Academy
  • Akron
  • Alamosa
  • Alamosa East
  • Allenspark

Browse all communities in Colorado

86078 billing questions

How is 86078 different from 86077?

86078 is for a physician’s investigation of a suspected transfusion reaction. 86077 concerns physician review of compatibility testing, not investigation of a reaction.

When should 86079 be reported instead?

86079 concerns a physician’s authorization to release blood or a blood product outside standard release procedures. It is not the code for evaluating a suspected transfusion reaction.

Does 86078 cover the laboratory tests in the reaction workup?

The code represents the physician’s investigation, not a count of laboratory assays. Report distinct tests, such as antibody screening or ABO typing, according to the services performed and documented.

What documentation supports reporting 86078?

Document the suspected transfusion reaction, the clinical and blood bank information reviewed, the physician’s conclusions, and any consultation or recommendations.

Is 86078 reported per test or per unit of blood?

The service is the physician’s investigation of the reaction, not each test result or each blood unit involved. The record should support the physician service reported.

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
RVUs for 86078PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 10,600 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for ColoradoGPCI2026.csv, line 37 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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