CPT code 96138: Psychological testing, technician, first 30 minutes2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in South Dakota

In South Dakota, Medicare pays $37.52 for 96138 in the office.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 96138 nationwide

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

What 96138 covers

A psychometrist or other trained testing technician administers and scores standardized instruments that assess psychological or neuropsychological functions, such as memory, attention, or emotional and behavioral functioning. Typical referrals include cognitive concerns after neurologic illness, suspected learning or attention problems, and diagnostic clarification of mood or behavior symptoms. The technician performs the testing under the direction of a physician or other qualified health professional in an office or facility.

Report 96138 for the initial 30 minutes of technician time spent administering and scoring at least two tests. Use 96139 for additional technician time in 30-minute increments. Documentation should identify the tests, technician, time, results, and supervising professional, and support the clinical reason for testing. When a qualified health professional performs the test administration and scoring, consider 96136 instead. CMS assigns no physician-work RVU to 96138; its relative values include practice expense and malpractice components.

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.

How South Dakota compares for 96138

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 96138 runs from $32.31 in Arkansas to $54.12 in San Benito County, CA. South Dakota pays $37.52. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

96138 rates by state

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

See 96138 in every payment locality

How the 96138 rate is calculated

Each of 96138’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 96138

96138 has no global surgery period, no multiple-procedure, bilateral or assistant-at-surgery adjustment, and no professional/technical split. What changes the payment is where the service happens: the place of service on the claim decides whether Medicare pays the office or the facility rate.

Codes related to 96138

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

How 96138 has changed in South Dakota

Price 96138 for an earlier date of service

Where the South Dakota rate applies

South Dakota is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 485 cities and communities in South Dakota. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Aberdeen
• Agar
• Agency Village
• Akaska
• Albee
• Alcester
• Alexandria
• Allen

Browse all communities in South Dakota

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