CPT code 92512: Nasal function test, airflow and resistance2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Objective nasal function testing measures airflow or resistance to assess nasal obstruction, such as when symptoms persist despite an unrevealing visual examination.
Medicare pays $69.21–$86.72 for 92512 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 92512 covers
This study evaluates how air moves through the nose, including measurements of airflow or resistance during breathing. Rhinomanometry is a typical method. Otolaryngologists and other clinicians who evaluate nasal obstruction may use it in an office or testing setting when symptoms such as persistent congestion or impaired nasal breathing call for an objective functional assessment.
Report 92512 for the nasal function study, not for visual inspection alone. The record should identify the clinical question, testing method, relevant conditions during testing, measured findings, and interpretation. These details distinguish functional measurement from nasal endoscopy or examination and support why the study was performed. Report the completed study rather than separate units for individual breaths or readings.
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 92512 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
$69.21 to $86.72
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $69.34 | $23.59 |
| Chico, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| El Centro, CA | $69.22 | $23.46 |
| Fresno, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| Hanford, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $73.80 | $24.40 |
| Madera, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| Marin County, CA | $84.88 | $26.01 |
| Merced, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| Modesto, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| Napa, CA | $80.16 | $25.13 |
| Oxnard, CA | $73.46 | $24.11 |
| Redding, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| Rest of California | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| Riverside, CA | $69.65 | $23.89 |
| Sacramento, CA | $72.62 | $24.06 |
| Salinas, CA | $72.35 | $23.96 |
| San Benito County, CA | $86.72 | $26.52 |
| San Diego, CA | $74.03 | $24.10 |
| San Francisco, CA | $84.84 | $25.97 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $71.18 | $23.62 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $86.54 | $26.33 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $74.73 | $24.00 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $72.61 | $23.93 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $75.49 | $24.22 |
| Stockton, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| Vallejo, CA | $80.10 | $25.07 |
| Visalia, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
| Yuba City, CA | $69.21 | $23.45 |
How the 92512 rate is calculated
Each of 92512’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 · 92512
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.54
0.54 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.37
1.37 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.04
0.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.9500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$65.13
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92512
92512 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 · 92512
Which rate does Medicare pay?
The POS code on the claim line (CMS-1500 box 24B).
POS 11 · non-facility rate · national
$65.13
- Non-facility (office)
- $65.13
- Facility
- $23.38
Higher because the practice carries its own overhead.
92512 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 92511NasopharyngoscopyEndoscopic nasopharynx exam
- 92511 reports endoscopic visualization of the nasopharynx; 92512 reports functional measurement of nasal airflow or resistance.
- 31231Nasal endoscopyDiagnostic, without sinusoscopy
- 31231 describes diagnostic nasal endoscopy, a visual examination of the nasal cavity. Use 92512 for functional nasal measurements.
- 92520Laryngeal testingAerodynamic and acoustic measures
- 92520 concerns laryngeal function. 92512 evaluates nasal airflow or resistance, not laryngeal function.
92512 billing questions
How does 92512 differ from nasopharyngoscopy?
92512 measures nasal function, such as airflow or resistance. Nasopharyngoscopy (92511) documents endoscopic visualization of the nasopharynx.
Can 92512 be reported with nasal endoscopy?
A functional study and nasal endoscopy describe different services. When both are performed, document the measurements separately from the endoscopic findings.
What should the record include?
Document the reason for testing, the method used, the findings, and their interpretation. Include clinical context that supports evaluating nasal airflow or resistance.
Are individual readings billed as separate units?
Report the completed nasal function study, not each breath, measurement, or instrument reading as a separate unit.
Does a visual nasal examination alone support 92512?
No. The service is functional testing; visual inspection without nasal airflow or resistance measurement describes a different service.
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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