CPT code 89230: Sweat collection, specimen collection only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports collection of a sweat specimen, commonly for sweat chloride testing during evaluation for cystic fibrosis; laboratory analysis is coded separately.
Medicare pays $3.06–$3.63 for 89230 in the office in Florida, from Rest of Florida to Miami, FL. 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 89230 covers
This service covers obtaining a sweat specimen for laboratory testing, commonly sweat chloride analysis when cystic fibrosis is being evaluated. Trained laboratory personnel typically stimulate sweating with pilocarpine iontophoresis and collect the resulting sweat on an absorbent collector or in a collection device. The collection is performed in a clinical or laboratory setting equipped to obtain and handle the specimen for analysis.
Report 89230 for the collection procedure, not for measuring the specimen’s chloride content or interpreting the result. Documentation should identify the reason for testing, the collection method, and the specimen obtained and sent for analysis. CMS classifies this as a technical-component-only code; a separate code covers interpretation. The collection code therefore represents the technical service, while interpretation is reported separately under the applicable code.
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 89230 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$3.06 to $3.63
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | $3.31 | Unavailable |
| Miami, FL | $3.63 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Florida | $3.06 | Unavailable |
How the 89230 rate is calculated
Each of 89230’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 · 89230
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.08
0.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.0900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$3.01
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 89230
The CMS indicators that decide how 89230 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 89230
Sweat collection, specimen collection 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 | 3 | Technical component only. |
89230 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
89230 vs 82438 vs 89220: Medicare rates
How to choose
- 82438Chloride assayOther fluid source
- 89230 reports collecting the sweat specimen; 82438 reports chloride measurement from a nonblood source. Report each service performed.
- 89220Sputum collectionAerosol induction
- 89220 concerns sputum specimen collection. It does not describe collecting sweat for sweat testing.
89230 billing questions
Is 89230 the sweat chloride test itself?
No. It reports collecting the sweat specimen. The laboratory analysis, such as chloride measurement, is a separate service.
Can 89230 be reported with a sweat chloride assay?
Yes, when both the collection and the laboratory assay are performed and documented. CPT 82438 is used for chloride from a source other than blood.
Does 89230 include interpretation?
No. CMS identifies 89230 as technical-component-only and states that a separate code covers interpretation.
Should modifier TC be appended?
CMS classifies the code itself as technical-component-only. Report the separate interpretation service under its applicable code rather than treating 89230 as the interpretation.
What documentation supports reporting 89230?
Record the clinical reason for the sweat test, how the specimen was collected, and that it was obtained for laboratory analysis.
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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