CPT code 92555: Speech audiometry, threshold only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Reports speech-threshold testing that measures the softest level at which a patient can recognize spoken test words in each ear.
Medicare pays $29.51–$32.90 for 92555 in the office in Oregon, from Rest of Oregon to Portland, OR. 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 92555 covers
An audiologist typically presents speech materials, often spondee words, at varying loudness levels to determine the patient’s speech reception threshold. The test helps characterize hearing and compare speech responses with pure-tone findings. It is performed in outpatient audiology and otolaryngology settings, generally as part of a diagnostic hearing evaluation.
Select this code when the service measures speech threshold without the additional speech-recognition testing represented by broader speech-audiometry services. Document the test performed and the resulting threshold for each ear. CMS identifies this as a technical-component-only code; a separate code represents interpretation when furnished and supported. The code is priced as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. Choose a comprehensive audiometry code when the encounter includes the broader set of measures described by that code rather than reporting this threshold test as though it covered them.
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 92555 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | $32.90 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Oregon | $29.51 | Unavailable |
How the 92555 rate is calculated
Each of 92555’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 · 92555
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.88
0.88 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.8900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$29.73
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92555
The CMS indicators that decide how 92555 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 92555
Speech audiometry, threshold 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) | 2 | Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%. |
| 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. |
92555 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 92556Speech audiometryWith speech recognition
- 92555 captures speech-threshold testing alone; 92556 also includes speech-recognition testing.
- 92557Comprehensive hearing testAir, bone, and speech testing
- 92557 describes a comprehensive audiometry evaluation with pure-tone thresholds and speech measures, rather than speech-threshold testing alone.
- 92553AudiometryAir and bone thresholds
- 92553 measures pure-tone thresholds using air and bone conduction. It does not represent the speech-threshold measurement reported with 92555.
- 92551Hearing screeningPure tone, air only
- 92551 is a pure-tone hearing screening service; 92555 is diagnostic speech-threshold testing.
92555 billing questions
When should 92555 be used instead of 92556?
Use 92555 for speech-threshold measurement alone. Use 92556 when speech-recognition testing is also performed.
Does 92555 include interpretation?
No. CMS identifies 92555 as technical-component-only; a separate code represents interpretation when it is furnished and documented.
Should modifier 50 be appended for testing both ears?
The code is already priced as bilateral, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.
How does 92555 differ from 92557?
92555 reports speech-threshold testing alone. 92557 represents a comprehensive audiometry evaluation that includes pure-tone thresholds and speech measures.
What documentation supports 92555?
Record that speech-threshold testing was performed and document the result for each ear. The record should distinguish threshold measurement from speech-recognition testing.
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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