CPT code 92556: Speech audiometry, with speech recognition2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports speech audiometry that measures a patient's speech threshold and speech recognition as part of a diagnostic hearing assessment.
Medicare pays $40.06–$44.22 for 92556 in the office in Missouri, from Rest of Missouri to Metropolitan St. Louis, MO. 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 92556 covers
An audiologist typically presents speech stimuli to assess the level at which a patient can detect or repeat speech and how well the patient recognizes it. The testing helps characterize hearing difficulty and is commonly performed in an outpatient audiology clinic or an ear, nose, and throat practice. Unlike a speech-threshold-only test, this service includes speech recognition testing as well as threshold assessment.
Report 92556 for the speech portion when both threshold and recognition testing are performed; document the results and the testing performed. It represents the technical testing service, while interpretation is covered by a separate code. The CMS payment basis treats the service as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. When a comprehensive hearing assessment is performed, distinguish this speech testing from the broader combination of pure-tone and speech testing represented by 92557.
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 92556 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$40.06 to $44.22
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | $43.61 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | $44.22 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Missouri | $40.06 | Unavailable |
How the 92556 rate is calculated
Each of 92556’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 · 92556
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.38
1.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.3900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$46.43
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92556
The CMS indicators that decide how 92556 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 92556
Speech audiometry, with speech recognition
| 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. |
92556 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 92555Speech audiometryThreshold only
- 92555 reports speech-threshold testing alone. Choose 92556 when speech-recognition testing is also performed.
- 92557Comprehensive hearing testAir, bone, and speech testing
- 92557 is the comprehensive audiometry service combining pure-tone and speech testing. 92556 represents the speech portion rather than that complete test combination.
- 92553AudiometryAir and bone thresholds
- 92553 measures pure-tone hearing by air and bone conduction; 92556 assesses speech threshold and speech recognition.
92556 billing questions
How does 92556 differ from 92555?
92556 includes speech recognition testing along with speech-threshold assessment. Use 92555 when the service is limited to speech-threshold testing.
Is interpretation included in 92556?
No. CMS classifies 92556 as a technical-component-only code; a separate code covers interpretation.
Should modifier 50 be appended when both ears are tested?
The code is already priced as bilateral. Modifier 50 does not increase its payment.
When should 92557 be used instead?
92557 represents comprehensive audiometry combining pure-tone testing with speech audiometry. Use 92556 for the speech testing when the broader comprehensive service is not performed.
What should the record support?
Document that speech-threshold and speech-recognition testing were performed and record the findings for each test.
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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