CPT code 92610: Swallow evaluation, clinical, noninstrumental assessment2026 Medicare rate & RVUs
A speech-language pathologist evaluates oral and pharyngeal swallowing clinically to identify swallowing problems and guide recommendations or further assessment.
Medicare pays $84.84 for 92610 nationally in the office and $57.78 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $78.88–$109.07.
Medicare rate · 92610
Swallow evaluation, clinical, noninstrumental assessment
- Work RVUs
- 1.3
- Total RVUs
- 2.54
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$84.84
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 92610 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →
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 10 sections
What 92610 covers
A speech-language pathologist typically performs this clinical assessment in an outpatient therapy clinic, hospital, or other care setting. The evaluation may include relevant history, an oral mechanism examination, and observation of swallowing with food or liquids when appropriate. The clinician assesses oral preparation and transit, observed swallowing responses, and signs that may indicate impaired swallowing. Findings help guide recommendations and determine whether an instrumental study is needed.
Report 92610 for the clinical evaluation itself, not for imaging or endoscopic visualization. Documentation should describe the assessment performed, relevant findings, clinical interpretation, and resulting recommendations or plan. When fluoroscopy or endoscopy is performed, use the code that describes that instrumental service rather than treating it as part of the clinical evaluation. CMS classifies this as a therapy service, so a professional component modifier does not apply.
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 92610 pays more and less
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
109 payment localities
$78.88 to $109.07
109 of 109 payment localities
92610 rates by state
Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.
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Local rates. Clear comparisons.
Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.
$78.88
$109.07
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View every state and territory as a table
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $109.07 | 1 |
| AL | $79.56 | 1 |
| AR | $78.88 | 1 |
| AZ | $83.52 | 1 |
| CA | $89.37–$107.62 | 29 |
| CO | $87.92 | 1 |
| CT | $88.94 | 1 |
| DC | $94.53 | 1 |
| DE | $84.53 | 1 |
| FL | $83.20–$87.03 | 3 |
| GA | $80.47–$85.69 | 2 |
| GU | $90.33 | 1 |
| HI | $90.33 | 1 |
| IA | $81.14 | 1 |
| ID | $81.38 | 1 |
| IL | $81.45–$86.51 | 4 |
| IN | $81.67 | 1 |
| KS | $80.73 | 1 |
| KY | $80.25 | 1 |
| LA | $80.10–$82.46 | 2 |
| MA | $87.64–$94.55 | 2 |
| MD | $85.74–$94.53 | 3 |
| ME | $81.43–$84.35 | 2 |
| MI | $81.31–$83.63 | 2 |
| MN | $85.79 | 1 |
| MO | $79.16–$82.87 | 3 |
| MS | $79.04 | 1 |
| MT | $84.84 | 1 |
| NC | $81.97 | 1 |
| ND | $84.64 | 1 |
| NE | $81.47 | 1 |
| NH | $86.48 | 1 |
| NJ | $90.39–$94.17 | 2 |
| NM | $81.50 | 1 |
| NV | $84.82 | 1 |
| NY | $82.68–$95.67 | 5 |
| OH | $81.27 | 1 |
| OK | $80.37 | 1 |
| OR | $84.57–$90.01 | 2 |
| PA | $81.45–$87.37 | 2 |
| PR | $85.29 | 1 |
| RI | $86.98 | 1 |
| SC | $81.67 | 1 |
| SD | $84.62 | 1 |
| TN | $80.95 | 1 |
| TX | $81.12–$87.27 | 8 |
| UT | $82.34 | 1 |
| VA | $84.04–$94.53 | 2 |
| VI | $85.29 | 1 |
| VT | $84.26 | 1 |
| WA | $87.50–$96.27 | 2 |
| WI | $82.88 | 1 |
| WV | $79.60 | 1 |
| WY | $84.75 | 1 |
How the 92610 rate is calculated
Each of 92610’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 · 92610
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.30
1.30 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.23
1.23 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
2.5400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$84.84
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92610
The CMS indicators that decide how 92610 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 92610
Swallow evaluation, clinical, noninstrumental assessment
| 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 | 7 | Therapy service: the split doesn’t apply. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier CQ · payment effect
With and without the modifier
92610 without CQ · national office
$84.84
Swallow evaluation, clinical, noninstrumental assessment
92610-CQ · Allowed amount unchanged
$84.84
Medicare cuts its own payment by 15% after the patient’s 20% coinsurance; the allowed amount stays the same. On $100 allowed: $20 coinsurance, then Medicare pays $68 instead of $80.
92610 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 92611Swallow studyFluoroscopic evaluation
- Choose 92610 for a clinical swallowing assessment without fluoroscopic imaging. Choose 92611 when motion fluoroscopy is used to evaluate swallowing.
- 92612Swallowing endoscopyVideo-recorded study
- 92610 is a clinical evaluation; 92612 describes endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with video or cine recording.
- 92616Swallow evaluationLaryngeal sensory testing
- 92616 describes an endoscopic swallowing evaluation that includes laryngeal sensory testing. 92610 is the clinical, noninstrumental assessment.
92610 billing questions
How does 92610 differ from 92611?
92610 describes a clinical swallowing evaluation. 92611 describes swallowing assessment using motion fluoroscopy, so report 92611 when that instrumental service is performed.
When is 92612 more appropriate than 92610?
Use 92612 for a flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with video or cine recording. A clinical assessment without that endoscopic procedure is described by 92610.
Does modifier 26 apply to 92610?
No. CMS identifies 92610 as a therapy service for which the professional component modifier does not apply.
What documentation supports 92610?
Document the clinical assessment performed, swallowing findings, interpretation, and recommendations or plan. Include relevant observed responses to food or liquids when those trials are part of the evaluation.
Does 92610 include fluoroscopy or endoscopy?
No. It describes a clinical evaluation; fluoroscopic or endoscopic assessment is a distinct instrumental service and should be represented by the applicable code when performed.
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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