CPT code 89220: Sputum collection, aerosol induction2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports aerosol-induced collection of sputum when a diagnostic specimen is needed, such as when a patient cannot produce an adequate sample by coughing.
Medicare pays $22.88–$30.04 for 89220 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 89220 covers
This service obtains a sputum specimen through aerosol induction, commonly using nebulized saline to help a patient produce respiratory secretions for diagnostic testing. It is used when a spontaneously expectorated sample is not available or adequate. Clinical staff, such as respiratory therapists or nurses, may perform the collection in an outpatient setting under the responsible practitioner’s direction. The collected specimen may be sent for microbiology or cytopathology testing; those laboratory analyses are distinct from obtaining the sample.
Report 89220 for the induced collection, not for testing or interpreting the specimen. Documentation should identify the aerosol-induced technique and the specimen obtained. CMS classifies this as a technical-component-only service, with interpretation covered by a separate code; do not report modifier 26 on 89220 to represent interpretation. The separate test code depends on the analysis performed, such as culture or cytopathology.
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 89220 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
$22.88 to $30.04
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $22.90 | Unavailable |
| Chico, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| El Centro, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Fresno, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Hanford, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles, CA | $24.72 | Unavailable |
| Madera, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Marin County, CA | $29.35 | Unavailable |
| Merced, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Modesto, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Napa, CA | $27.46 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard, CA | $24.69 | Unavailable |
| Redding, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Rest of California | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Riverside, CA | $22.98 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento, CA | $24.26 | Unavailable |
| Salinas, CA | $24.18 | Unavailable |
| San Benito County, CA | $30.04 | Unavailable |
| San Diego, CA | $24.95 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco, CA | $29.34 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $23.77 | Unavailable |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $29.99 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $25.34 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria, CA | $24.33 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $25.61 | Unavailable |
| Stockton, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo, CA | $27.45 | Unavailable |
| Visalia, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City, CA | $22.88 | Unavailable |
How the 89220 rate is calculated
Each of 89220’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 · 89220
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.62
0.62 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.6300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$21.04
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 89220
The CMS indicators that decide how 89220 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 89220
Sputum collection, aerosol induction
| 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 | 3 | Technical component only. |
89220 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 88108Concentrated cytologyNon-gynecologic specimen
- 88108 represents cytopathology processing and interpretation; 89220 represents obtaining sputum by aerosol induction.
- 87070Aerobic cultureNon-urine, blood, or stool
- 87070 is a bacterial culture service performed on a specimen. It does not describe aerosol-induced collection.
- 89230Sweat collectionSpecimen collection only
- 89230 concerns sweat collection for testing. Choose 89220 for induced sputum, not a sweat specimen.
89220 billing questions
When should 89220 be selected instead of a routine sputum collection?
Use it when aerosol induction is used to obtain sputum for diagnostic testing, typically because the patient cannot produce an adequate specimen by coughing.
Does 89220 include sputum culture or cytology?
No. It represents obtaining the induced specimen. The laboratory reports the applicable analysis, such as bacterial culture or cytopathology, under its own code.
Can modifier 26 be appended to 89220?
No. CMS identifies 89220 as technical-component-only, and a separate code covers interpretation.
What documentation supports reporting 89220?
Document that aerosol induction was performed to obtain sputum and identify the specimen collected. A note that only records a spontaneously expectorated sample does not establish this technique.
Is 89220 the same as collecting a sputum sample during bronchoscopy?
No. This code represents aerosol-induced sputum collection. A specimen obtained as part of a bronchoscopic procedure is associated with that procedure instead.
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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