CPT code 93880: Carotid duplex, complete bilateral extracranial study2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $189.05 for 93880 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $164.92–$260.93.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 93880 covers

Complete extracranial duplex uses grayscale imaging, color Doppler, and spectral Doppler to assess the carotid and vertebral arteries on both sides of the neck. A vascular sonographer obtains images and flow velocities in a vascular lab, outpatient imaging center, or office; a radiologist, vascular surgeon, cardiologist, or other qualified physician interprets the examination. The study can evaluate a transient ischemic attack, amaurosis fugax, a carotid bruit, known stenosis, or a treated carotid artery.

Report 93880 for a complete bilateral examination; report 93882 for a unilateral or limited extracranial examination. The report should support the extent examined with bilateral vessel findings, velocity measurements, vertebral flow direction, and plaque or stenosis findings when present. Modifier 26 identifies interpretation alone, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and an unmodified claim represents the global service. Because 93880 is priced bilaterally, modifier 50 does not increase payment. When eligible cardiovascular diagnostic studies are performed for the same patient on the same day, the multiple-procedure reduction affects the technical component of the lower-priced service, not its interpretation.

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 93880 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

93880 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

How the 93880 rate is calculated

Each of 93880’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 93880

The CMS indicators that decide how 93880 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

93880 compared with similar codes

How to choose

93882Carotid duplexUnilateral or limited study

93880 requires a complete bilateral extracranial examination. 93882 covers a unilateral or limited examination, such as a focused assessment of one treated carotid artery.

93886Intracranial DopplerComplete study

93886 evaluates intracranial arteries with a complete transcranial Doppler study. 93880 evaluates the extracranial carotid and vertebral arteries in the neck.

93895Carotid atheroma evaluationIntima assessment

93895 is a quantitative carotid intima-media thickness and atheroma evaluation. 93880 is a complete bilateral extracranial duplex examination assessing arterial flow and stenosis.

70498Neck CTACervical arteries

70498 uses contrast-enhanced CT angiography to evaluate neck arteries. 93880 uses ultrasound imaging and Doppler flow measurements without CT contrast.

Codes related to 93880

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service 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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates