CPT code 97606: Negative pressure therapy, DME, over 50 sq cm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Chicago, IL

Reports a session of negative pressure wound therapy using durable medical equipment when the combined treated wound surface area exceeds 50 square centimeters.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality14.4K Medicare services in 2024

In Chicago, IL, Medicare pays $51.16 for 97606 in the office and $23.63 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$51.16Office (non-facility)
$23.63Hospital or facility
+1.4%vs the national office rate ($50.44)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 97606 nationwide

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

We’ll open 97606 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Chicago, IL
  2. What 97606 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 97606 covers

This service covers a session managing negative pressure wound therapy delivered with durable medical equipment, such as a pump-based vacuum system. The treating clinician assesses the wound, applies or manages the therapy dressings, and provides care instructions as part of the session. It is used for wounds requiring negative pressure treatment in settings such as a physician office or hospital outpatient department.

Select this code when the total surface area of the wound or wounds treated during the session is greater than 50 square centimeters and the equipment is durable medical equipment. Document the wound locations and measurements, the combined area, use of the DME system, and the work performed during the session. The code is reported per session, rather than per wound or dressing. CMS assigns work, practice expense, and malpractice RVUs; the practice expense RVU differs between office and facility settings.

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 Chicago, IL compares for 97606

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 97606 runs from $45.99 in Arkansas to $65.88 in San Benito County, CA. Chicago, IL pays $51.16. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

97606 in Chicago, IL vs other payment areas
  1. Chicago, IL · this page$51.16
  2. East St. Louis, IL · Illinois$48.34−$2.82
  3. Rest of Illinois · Illinois$47.98−$3.18
  4. Suburban Chicago, IL · Illinois$51.65+$0.49
  5. Los Angeles, CA · California$56.69+$5.53
  6. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$56.95+$5.79
  7. Miami, FL · Florida$52.19+$1.03

Other areas in Illinois first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

97606 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Manhattan, NYNew York$56.82$24.99
AlaskaAlaska$62.11$32.95
AlabamaAlabama$46.49$22.53
ArkansasArkansas$45.99$22.46
ArizonaArizona$49.45$22.91
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$53.60$23.58
Chico, CACalifornia$53.53$23.52
El Centro, CACalifornia$53.53$23.52

97606 rates by state

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

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.

$45.99

$62.11

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
97606 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$62.111
AL$46.491
AR$45.991
AZ$49.451
CA$53.53–$65.8829
CO$52.541
CT$53.241
DC$56.951
DE$50.141
FL$49.27–$52.193
GA$47.22–$51.052
GU$54.461
HI$54.461
IA$47.651
ID$47.831
IL$47.98–$51.654
IN$48.041
KS$47.351
KY$47.031
LA$46.93–$48.692
MA$52.29–$57.102
MD$50.97–$56.953
ME$47.88–$50.042
MI$47.83–$49.602
MN$51.081
MO$46.23–$48.983
MS$46.121
MT$50.431
NC$48.281
ND$50.241
NE$47.891
NH$51.641
NJ$54.05–$56.562
NM$47.981
NV$50.411
NY$48.82–$57.735
OH$47.791
OK$47.111
OR$50.21–$54.042
PA$47.92–$52.102
PR$50.761
RI$51.781
SC$48.081
SD$50.211
TN$47.511
TX$47.68–$52.208
UT$48.581
VA$49.82–$56.952
VI$50.761
VT$49.971
WA$52.22–$58.262
WI$48.931
WV$46.601
WY$50.351

See 97606 in every payment locality

How the 97606 rate is calculated

Each of 97606’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 · 97606

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.59

0.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.91

0.91 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.01

0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

1.5100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$50.44

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

The exact Chicago, IL inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

12,903

Code
97606
Physician work
0.59
Practice expense
0.91
Malpractice
0.01

GPCI2026.csv

48

Locality
Chicago, IL
Physician work
1.007
Practice expense
1.005
Malpractice
2.295
Office calculation for 97606 in Chicago, IL
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work0.59× 1.0070.5941
Practice expense0.91× 1.0050.9145
Malpractice0.01× 2.2950.0229
Total RVUs1.5316
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Chicago, IL$51.16

Office: (0.59 × 1.007 + 0.91 × 1.005 + 0.01 × 2.295) × $33.4009 = $51.16

Facility: (0.59 × 1.007 + 0.09 × 1.005 + 0.01 × 2.295) × $33.4009 = $23.63

Open 97606 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 97606

97606 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.

Place of service · 97606

Which rate does Medicare pay?

The POS code on the claim line (CMS-1500 box 24B).

POS 11 · non-facility rate · national

$50.44

Non-facility (office)
$50.44
Facility
$23.05

Higher because the practice carries its own overhead.

How 97606 has changed in Chicago, IL

97606 · Office / nonfacility

$51.16

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $0.14 lower than on 2025-10-01, moving from $51.30 to $51.16 (0.3%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release
  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $51.30changed to$51.16

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 0.60 changed to 0.59
    • Practice expense RVU 0.94 changed to 0.91
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.023 changed to 1.005
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.018 changed to 2.295

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $52.11changed to$51.30

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 0.92 changed to 0.94

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $51.26changed to$52.11

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $53.03changed to$51.26

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 0.91 changed to 0.92
    • Work GPCI 1.009 changed to 1.007
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.033 changed to 1.023
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.945 changed to 2.018
  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $53.36changed to$53.03

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 0.86 changed to 0.91
    • Malpractice RVU 0.02 changed to 0.01
    • Work GPCI 1.011 changed to 1.009
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.044 changed to 1.033
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.871 changed to 1.945

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $53.44changed to$53.36

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 0.85 changed to 0.86

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $54.72changed to$53.44

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 0.84 changed to 0.85
    • Work GPCI 1.009 changed to 1.011
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.039 changed to 1.044
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.898 changed to 1.871

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $54.49changed to$54.72

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Work GPCI 1.008 changed to 1.009
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.034 changed to 1.039
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.925 changed to 1.898

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $55.17changed to$54.49

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 0.86 changed to 0.84

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $51.46changed to$55.17

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 0.76 changed to 0.86
    • Work GPCI 1.012 changed to 1.008
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.036 changed to 1.034
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.972 changed to 1.925

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $51.12changed to$51.46

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 0.75 changed to 0.76
    • Work GPCI 1.016 changed to 1.012
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.037 changed to 1.036
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.019 changed to 1.972

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $57.83changed to$51.12

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Malpractice RVU 0.11 changed to 0.02

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $57.55changed to$57.83

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $51.02changed to$57.55

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 0.58 changed to 0.75
    • Malpractice RVU 0.10 changed to 0.11
    • Work GPCI 1.023 changed to 1.016
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.044 changed to 1.037
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.048 changed to 2.019

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $50.62changed to$51.02

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 0.63 changed to 0.58
    • Work GPCI 1.030 changed to 1.023
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.051 changed to 1.044
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.077 changed to 2.048

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. October 1, 2013

    RVU13D

    No ratechanged to$50.62

  17. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: No rate

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$51.16$23.63RVU26D
2026-07-01$51.16$23.63RVU26C
2026-04-01$51.16$23.63RVU26B
2026-01-01$51.16$23.63RVU26A
2025-10-01$51.30$26.15RVU25D
2025-07-01$51.30$26.15RVU25C
2025-04-01$51.30$26.15RVU25B
2025-01-01$51.30$26.15RVU25A
2024-10-01$52.11$26.91RVU24D
2024-07-01$52.11$26.91RVU24C
2024-04-01$52.11$26.91RVU24B
2024-03-09$52.11$26.91RVU24AR
2024-01-01$51.26$26.47RVU24A
2023-10-01$53.03$27.48RVU23D
2023-07-01$53.03$27.48RVU23C
2023-04-01$53.03$27.48RVU23B
2023-01-01$53.03$27.48RVU23A
2022-10-01$53.36$28.79RVU22D
2022-07-01$53.36$28.79RVU22C
2022-04-01$53.36$28.79RVU22B
2022-01-01$53.36$28.79RVU22A
2021-10-01$53.44$29.03RVU21D
2021-07-01$53.44$29.03RVU21C
2021-04-01$53.44$29.03RVU21B
2021-01-01$53.44$29.03RVU21A
2020-10-01$54.72$29.97RVU20D
2020-07-01$54.72$29.97RVU20C
2020-04-01$54.72$29.97RVU20B
2020-01-01$54.72$29.97RVU20A
2019-10-01$54.49$29.89RVU19D
2019-07-01$54.49$29.89RVU19C
2019-04-01$54.49$29.89RVU19B
2019-01-01$54.49$29.89RVU19A
2018-10-01$55.17$29.86RVU18D
2018-07-01$55.17$29.86RVU18C
2018-04-01$55.17$29.86RVU18B
2018-01-01$55.17$29.86RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$51.46$28.78RVU17D
2017-07-01$51.46$28.78RVU17C
2017-04-01$51.46$28.78RVU17B
2017-01-01$51.46$28.78RVU17A
2016-10-01$51.12$28.84RVU16D
2016-07-01$51.12$28.84RVU16C
2016-04-01$51.12$28.84RVU16B
2016-01-01$51.12$28.84RVU16A
2015-10-01$57.83$35.47RVU15D
2015-07-01$57.83$35.47RVU15C
2015-04-01$57.55$35.30RVU15B
2015-01-01$57.55$35.30RVU15A
2014-10-01$51.02$34.93RVU14D
2014-07-01$51.02$34.93RVU14C
2014-04-01$51.02$34.93RVU14B
2014-01-01$51.02$34.93RVU14A
2013-10-01$50.62$33.81RVU13D
2013-07-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13C
2013-04-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13B
2013-01-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13AR

Price 97606 for an earlier date of service

Where the Chicago, IL rate applies

Chicago, IL is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 137 cities and communities in Illinois. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

Browse all communities in Illinois

97606 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 97605?

Both describe DME-based negative pressure wound therapy. Use 97606 when the combined treated wound surface area is greater than 50 square centimeters; 97605 is for 50 square centimeters or less.

Does the wound area refer to each wound or all wounds treated?

Use the combined surface area of the wound or wounds treated during the session. Document the individual measurements and the total used to select the code.

When is 97608 used instead?

97608 describes negative pressure wound therapy for a total wound area greater than 50 square centimeters using a disposable, non-DME system. This code is for DME.

Is the code reported per wound or per session?

It is reported per session. The code selection reflects the total area treated in that session, not the number of wounds or dressings.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

Record wound locations and measurements, the combined treated area, use of a DME negative pressure system, and the therapy management performed during the session.

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

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 97606PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 12,903 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for Chicago, ILGPCI2026.csv, line 48 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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