CPT code 95070: Bronchial challenge, technical testing2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports the technical portion of an inhaled bronchial challenge, such as methacholine testing, used to assess airway responsiveness when asthma is suspected.
Medicare pays $34.37–$37.89 for 95070 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 95070 covers
This service assesses how the airways respond to an inhaled challenge agent. A pulmonary function laboratory or allergy clinic commonly performs the test, with trained staff administering the agent and measuring pulmonary function at intervals. Methacholine challenge is a familiar example when symptoms suggest asthma but routine testing has not established variable airflow obstruction. The test is distinct from skin testing for allergen sensitization and from measuring exhaled nitric oxide.
Select 95070 for the technical testing, not for interpretation alone. Documentation should identify the clinical indication, challenge agent and protocol, and the pulmonary function measurements and response used to conduct the test. CMS classifies 95070 as a technical-component-only code; a separate code, 95071, covers interpretation and report. Report that interpretation service only when it is performed and documented.
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 95070 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
$34.37 to $37.89
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | $37.36 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | $37.89 | Unavailable |
| Rest of Missouri | $34.37 | Unavailable |
How the 95070 rate is calculated
Each of 95070’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 · 95070
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.16
1.16 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.03
0.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.1900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$39.75
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 95070
The CMS indicators that decide how 95070 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 95070
Bronchial challenge, technical testing
| 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 | 3 | Technical component only. |
95070 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 95076Ingestion challengeInitial 120 minutes
- Use 95076 for an oral ingestion challenge. Use 95070 when the challenge agent is inhaled to assess airway responsiveness.
- 95012FeNO testExhaled nitric oxide level
- 95012 measures exhaled nitric oxide. It does not describe an inhaled agent challenge with pulmonary function measurements.
- 95004Allergy skin prick testPercutaneous, immediate reaction, per test
- 95004 reports percutaneous allergen testing for sensitization; 95070 evaluates the airways’ response to an inhaled challenge agent.
95070 billing questions
When should 95070 be used instead of allergy skin testing?
Use 95070 for an inhaled challenge that evaluates airway responsiveness, such as a methacholine test. Skin testing, including 95004, evaluates sensitization to allergen extracts rather than the airways’ response to inhalation.
Does 95070 include interpretation of the results?
No. CMS identifies 95070 as technical-component-only; 95071 is the separate interpretation-and-report code.
What documentation supports 95070?
Document the reason for the challenge, the inhaled agent and testing protocol, and the pulmonary function measurements and response recorded during testing.
Can 95070 be used for an oral food challenge?
No. 95070 is for an inhaled bronchial challenge. Oral ingestion challenges are reported with the applicable ingestion-challenge codes, such as 95076 and, when appropriate, 95079.
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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