CPT code 96420: Chemotherapy push, intra-arterial route2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California

Medicare pays $113.74–$148.02 for 96420 in the office in California, from Chico, CA to San Benito County, CA. 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.

What 96420 covers

96420 describes chemotherapy delivered directly into an artery using a push technique. It may be used when an oncology team administers a drug through an arterial catheter for regional treatment, such as chemotherapy directed to the liver through its arterial supply. The service is the drug administration, not the catheter placement. It is distinct from an infusion, in which medication is delivered over time.

Select the code based on the arterial route and push method documented for the encounter. The record should identify the drug, the route of administration, and that it was administered by push; report the drug separately when applicable. Medicare treats this as an incident-to service: it may be billed only when performed under physician supervision.

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 96420 pays more and less in California

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

29 of 29 payment localities

How the 96420 rate is calculated

Each of 96420’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 96420

The CMS indicators that decide how 96420 is paid alongside other services.

96420 compared with similar codes

How to choose

96422Arterial infusionUp to one hour

Both describe intra-arterial chemotherapy, but 96420 is for push administration. 96422 is for administration by infusion.

96409Chemotherapy pushSingle or initial drug

Both describe chemotherapy delivered by push, but 96409 is intravenous and 96420 is intra-arterial.

96401Chemotherapy injectionSubcutaneous or intramuscular, nonhormonal

96401 applies to subcutaneous or intramuscular chemotherapy administration; 96420 applies when chemotherapy is pushed into an artery.

Codes related to 96420

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