CPT code 92071: Contact lens fitting, ocular surface treatment2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Report therapeutic contact lens fitting when an eye care professional selects and fits a lens to protect or support healing of an ocular surface.
Medicare pays $37.24–$44.39 for 92071 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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What 92071 covers
An ophthalmologist or optometrist may fit a therapeutic contact lens to protect the cornea or support healing of an ocular surface problem, such as a corneal epithelial defect or recurrent erosion. The lens serves a treatment purpose rather than correcting refractive error. The service is typically performed in an office after the clinician assesses the affected eye and determines that a therapeutic lens is appropriate.
Report 92071 for the therapeutic fitting, not for routine vision-correction lens fitting. Documentation should identify the eye and ocular surface condition, the treatment reason for the lens, and the fitting work performed. For bilateral treatment, CMS pays the procedure at 150% when modifier 50 is reported. A separately performed eye examination or diagnostic service should be supported as a distinct service rather than treated as part of the fitting automatically.
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 92071 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
$37.24 to $44.39
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $37.33 | $26.71 |
| Chico, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| El Centro, CA | $37.24 | $26.63 |
| Fresno, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| Hanford, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $39.13 | $27.68 |
| Madera, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| Marin County, CA | $43.55 | $29.89 |
| Merced, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| Modesto, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| Napa, CA | $41.54 | $28.77 |
| Oxnard, CA | $38.84 | $27.39 |
| Redding, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| Rest of California | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| Riverside, CA | $37.47 | $26.85 |
| Sacramento, CA | $38.64 | $27.38 |
| Salinas, CA | $38.48 | $27.26 |
| San Benito County, CA | $44.39 | $30.42 |
| San Diego, CA | $39.04 | $27.45 |
| San Francisco, CA | $43.53 | $29.87 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $37.90 | $26.87 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $44.29 | $30.33 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $39.15 | $27.38 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $38.53 | $27.24 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $39.52 | $27.63 |
| Stockton, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| Vallejo, CA | $41.50 | $28.74 |
| Visalia, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
| Yuba City, CA | $37.24 | $26.62 |
How the 92071 rate is calculated
Each of 92071’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 · 92071
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.59
0.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.46
0.46 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.0700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$35.74
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92071
The CMS indicators that decide how 92071 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 92071
Contact lens fitting, ocular surface treatment
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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 | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
92071 without 50 · national office
$35.74
Contact lens fitting, ocular surface treatment
92071-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$53.61
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
92071 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 92072Contact lens fittingKeratoconus, initial
- 92072 is the fitting code for keratoconus. Use 92071 for therapeutic contact lens fitting for other ocular surface treatment needs.
- 92310Contact lens fittingBoth eyes; non-aphakic
- 92310 addresses optical contact lens fitting for vision correction. 92071 is for a lens fitted to treat an ocular surface condition.
- 92012Eye examIntermediate, established patient
- 92012 represents an intermediate ophthalmic examination for an established patient; 92071 represents therapeutic lens fitting, not an examination level.
92071 billing questions
When should 92071 be chosen instead of 92072?
Use 92071 for therapeutic contact lens fitting to address an ocular surface condition. Use 92072 when the fitting is for keratoconus.
Is this code for ordinary vision-correction contact lenses?
No. It describes fitting a lens for treatment of an ocular surface problem, not a routine refractive contact lens fitting such as 92310.
How is bilateral fitting reported?
Report modifier 50 for bilateral treatment. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What documentation supports 92071?
Record the affected eye, the ocular surface condition, why a therapeutic lens is needed, and the fitting performed.
Can an eye examination also be reported?
A distinct ophthalmic examination may be reported when it is separately performed and documented; the fitting work alone does not establish a separate examination.
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
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