CPT code 96900: UV light therapy, actinotherapy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $23.71 for 96900 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $20.26–$33.89.

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

What 96900 covers

This service covers treatment of a skin disorder with ultraviolet light, commonly UVB phototherapy for conditions such as psoriasis or vitiligo. In a dermatology office, trained clinical staff may administer the exposure using a phototherapy unit, following the treating clinician’s plan and adjusting treatment according to the patient’s response. The code describes light treatment without a photochemotherapy regimen such as PUVA.

Report 96900 for the documented actinotherapy treatment session. The record should identify the condition treated, the ultraviolet treatment delivered, and the session performed. CMS lists this as an incident-to service: it may be billed only when performed under physician supervision. The supervision requirement is central to reporting the service; the code’s CMS payment profile has no physician work RVUs and includes practice-expense RVUs.

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 96900 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

96900 rates by state

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

How the 96900 rate is calculated

Each of 96900’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 96900

The CMS indicators that decide how 96900 is paid alongside other services.

96900 compared with similar codes

How to choose

96910PhototherapyTar or petrolatum with UVB

Choose 96900 for ultraviolet light treatment alone. Choose 96910 when the documented protocol includes the specified photochemotherapy regimen, such as tar with UVB.

96912PUVA therapyPsoralen plus UVA

96912 identifies PUVA treatment with psoralen and UVA; 96900 represents actinotherapy without that photosensitizer regimen.

96920Excimer laserUnder 250 sq cm

96920 is for excimer laser treatment of psoriasis by affected-area size. 96900 describes ultraviolet light therapy rather than targeted excimer treatment.

Codes related to 96900

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