CPT code 93880: Carotid duplex, complete bilateral extracranial study2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in New York
Complete bilateral duplex ultrasound of the neck’s carotid and vertebral arteries, reported when evaluating TIA symptoms, a carotid bruit, or known stenosis.
Medicare pays $180.07–$223.75 for 93880 in the office in New York, from Rest of New York to NYC suburbs and Long Island, NY. 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 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 in New York
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
5 payment localities
$180.07 to $223.75
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan, NY | $218.54 | Unavailable |
| NYC suburbs and Long Island, NY | $223.75 | Unavailable |
| Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NY | $206.09 | Unavailable |
| Queens, NY | $221.25 | Unavailable |
| Rest of New York | $180.07 | Unavailable |
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.
How the rate is built · 93880
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.78
0.78 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.78
4.78 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.10
0.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
5.6600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$189.05
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 93880
The CMS indicators that decide how 93880 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 93880
Carotid duplex, complete bilateral extracranial study
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 6 | Diagnostic cardiovascular reduction applies to the technical component. |
| 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 | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
93880 without 26 · national office
$189.05
Carotid duplex, complete bilateral extracranial study
93880-26 · Professional component
$37.41
Pays only the interpretation and report.
93880 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
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.
93880 billing questions
When should 93882 be reported instead of 93880?
Use 93882 when only one side is scanned or the extracranial examination is limited, such as a focused check of one treated carotid artery. Report 93880 for a complete bilateral evaluation.
Should modifier 50 be added to 93880?
No. The code already describes a bilateral study and is priced that way; modifier 50 does not increase payment.
How does a hospital-based physician bill the interpretation?
The interpreting physician reports 93880 with modifier 26 when the facility supplies the equipment and staff. The facility bills for its technical services separately.
Can a carotid duplex and an echocardiogram on the same day both be billed?
Both may be reported when each is performed and medically necessary, as in some stroke evaluations. If both are eligible for the cardiovascular diagnostic multiple-procedure reduction, it affects the lower-priced technical service.
Is a transcranial Doppler study included in 93880?
No. Code 93880 evaluates extracranial neck vessels. A separately performed and documented intracranial study may be reported with 93886 or 93888, according to its extent.
What documentation supports a complete bilateral study?
Document the carotid and vertebral arteries examined on both sides, Doppler velocities and flow findings, and plaque or stenosis when present. The record should also support the clinical reason for the examination, such as TIA symptoms, a bruit, or known stenosis.
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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