CPT code 96900: UV light therapy, actinotherapy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maine
Reports a dermatology treatment using ultraviolet light for a skin condition, such as psoriasis, when the service is provided under physician supervision.
Medicare pays $21.72–$23.38 for 96900 in the office in Maine, from Rest of Maine to Southern Maine, ME. 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 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 in Maine
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest of Maine | $21.72 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine, ME | $23.38 | Unavailable |
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.
How the rate is built · 96900
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.70
0.70 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.7100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$23.71
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 96900
The CMS indicators that decide how 96900 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 96900
UV light therapy, actinotherapy
| 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 | 5 | Incident-to service. |
96900 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
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.
96900 billing questions
How does 96900 differ from 96910?
96900 represents ultraviolet light treatment alone. Use 96910 when the documented treatment follows a qualifying photochemotherapy regimen, such as tar with UVB.
Is 96900 the code for PUVA treatment?
No. PUVA is reported with 96912. 96900 is for actinotherapy with ultraviolet light, without the PUVA regimen.
What documentation supports 96900?
Document the skin condition, the ultraviolet treatment provided, the treatment session, and physician supervision for the incident-to service.
Can clinical staff perform the treatment?
Clinical staff may administer the treatment, but CMS permits billing this incident-to service only when it is performed under physician supervision.
How should treatment units be counted?
Report the documented actinotherapy treatment session. The record should support each session billed.
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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