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CPT code 97039: Unlisted modality2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports a therapeutic physical modality without its own listed CPT code when a therapist provides a treatment not represented by a specific modality code.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities873 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare rate · 97039

Unlisted modality

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
0
Total RVUs
0.00
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

—

Not priced in the facility setting.

See every locality for 97039 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 97039 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 97039 covers

A physical therapist or other qualified therapy professional reports 97039 for a therapeutic modality that does not have its own specific CPT modality code. Identify the modality and describe the treatment so the service can be distinguished from listed methods such as traction, electrical stimulation, or ultrasound. This code is for an unlisted modality, not a substitute for a listed code that accurately describes the treatment provided.

Medicare assigns 97039 carrier-priced status (status C): CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim. The code is a therapy service, and the professional component modifier does not apply. The code does not set a per-15-minute unit; when the modality involves constant attendance, specify the modality and treatment time.

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 97039 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

97039 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailableUnavailable
AlaskaUnavailableUnavailable
ArizonaUnavailableUnavailable
ArkansasUnavailableUnavailable
Atlanta, GAUnavailableUnavailable
Austin, TXUnavailableUnavailable
Bakersfield, CAUnavailableUnavailable
Baltimore area, MDUnavailableUnavailable
Beaumont, TXUnavailableUnavailable
Brazoria, TXUnavailableUnavailable

97039 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
97039 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 97039 rate is calculated

Each of 97039’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 · 97039

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.00

0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.00

0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.00

0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

0.0000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$0.00

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 97039

The CMS indicators that decide how 97039 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 97039

Unlisted modality

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodXXXThe global surgery concept doesn’t apply.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical7Therapy service: the split doesn’t apply.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier CQ · payment effect

With and without the modifier

97039 without CQ · national facility

$0.00

Unlisted modality

97039-CQ · Allowed amount unchanged

$0.00

Medicare cuts its own payment by 15% after the patient’s 20% coinsurance; the allowed amount stays the same. On $100 allowed: $20 coinsurance, then Medicare pays $68 instead of $80.

97039 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 97039

    Unlisted modality0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 97010

    Pack therapy, hot or cold0.06 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 97012

    Mechanical traction, device-applied therapy0.24 wRVU

    $14.36

  • 97032

    Electrical stimulation, attended, timed modality0.25 wRVU

    $14.70

  • 97035

    Therapeutic ultrasound, constant attendance, each 15 minutes0.21 wRVU

    $14.36

How to choose

97010Pack therapyHot or cold
97010 identifies hot- or cold-pack therapy. Use 97039 only when the modality provided lacks its own specific code.
97012Mechanical tractionDevice-applied therapy
97012 identifies mechanical traction. A different, unlisted modality may be reported with 97039.
97032Electrical stimulationAttended, timed modality
97032 describes attended electrical stimulation. Do not use 97039 when electrical stimulation is the treatment represented by 97032.
97035Therapeutic ultrasoundConstant attendance, each 15 minutes
97035 identifies ultrasound therapy. Use 97039 for a modality not specifically represented by a listed code, rather than for ultrasound.

Codes related to 97039

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

Codes related to 97039
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
97010Pack therapy, hot or coldUse for hot- or cold-pack therapy when that listed treatment describes the service.No office rate
97012Mechanical traction, device-applied therapyUse for mechanical traction when traction is the modality provided.$13.35–$18.61
97032Electrical stimulation, attended, timed modalityUse for attended electrical stimulation when that listed modality applies.$13.69–$19.11
97035Therapeutic ultrasound, constant attendance, each 15 minutesUse for ultrasound therapy when ultrasound is the modality provided.$13.21–$18.18

97039 billing questions

When should a therapist use 97039 instead of a listed modality code?

Use 97039 when the delivered therapeutic modality has no specific CPT modality code. Use a listed code when it describes the method provided, such as electrical stimulation or ultrasound.

What should the claim identify for 97039?

Identify the modality and describe the treatment. If it involves constant attendance, specify the treatment time as well.

Is 97039 billed in 15-minute units?

The code does not establish a per-15-minute unit. Specify the time when reporting a constant-attendance modality.

Should modifier 26 be appended?

No. The professional component modifier does not apply to this therapy service.

How does Medicare price 97039?

It has carrier-priced status (status C), so CMS publishes no national payment and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim.

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

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