CPT code 99306: Nursing facility visit, initial visit, high complexity2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in South Carolina

An initial skilled nursing or nursing facility evaluation is reported at this level when high medical decision making or at least 50 minutes supports it.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality1.3M Medicare services in 2024

In South Carolina, Medicare pays $186.70 for 99306 in the office and $159.23 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$186.70Office (non-facility)
$159.23Hospital or facility
−3.3%vs the national office rate ($193.06)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 99306 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 99306 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in South Carolina
  2. What 99306 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 99306 covers

Code 99306 covers an initial evaluation in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or nursing facility when high medical decision making (MDM) or qualifying time supports the level. A practitioner may assess a resident after hospitalization for sepsis, stroke with swallowing problems, or worsening heart failure; those diagnoses alone do not establish high MDM. The visit may include reviewing hospital records, reconciling medications, examining the resident, and establishing a treatment plan. For Medicare SNF residents, a physician performs the required initial comprehensive visit; nurse practitioners and physician assistants may perform other medically necessary visits. In a nursing facility, an eligible practitioner not employed by the facility may perform the required initial comprehensive visit when permitted.

Select 99306 by high MDM, which requires two of three elements—problems, data, and risk—or by at least 50 minutes of the reporting practitioner's time on the encounter date. Document the clinical problems, data assessed, management decisions, or personally performed time. Exclude staff time and time spent on separately reported services. The principal physician of record appends Medicare modifier AI to the initial visit; other practitioners' qualifying initial visits are reported without AI. Later visits during the stay use subsequent nursing facility codes. Medicare prolonged time may be reported with G0317 when its threshold is met and 99306 was selected by 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.

How South Carolina compares for 99306

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 99306 runs from $179.68 in Arkansas to $252.51 in Alaska. South Carolina pays $186.70. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

99306 in South Carolina vs other payment areas
  1. South Carolina · this page$186.70
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$207.80+$21.10
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$212.43+$25.73
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$207.61+$20.91
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$204.17+$17.47
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$216.13+$29.43
  7. Alaska · Alaska$252.51+$65.81

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

Every other payment area

99306 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$181.16$155.15
ArkansasArkansas$179.68$154.14
ArizonaArizona$189.83$161.02
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$198.85$166.27
Chico, CACalifornia$198.05$165.47
El Centro, CACalifornia$198.09$165.51
Fresno, CACalifornia$198.05$165.47
Hanford, CACalifornia$198.05$165.47

99306 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.

$179.68

$252.51

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

View every state and territory as a table
99306 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$252.511
AL$181.161
AR$179.681
AZ$189.831
CA$198.05–$232.6229
CO$197.161
CT$202.281
DC$212.431
DE$192.041
FL$193.91–$207.613
GA$187.14–$196.052
GU$199.201
HI$199.201
IA$182.601
ID$183.531
IL$191.43–$204.174
IN$184.111
KS$182.671
KY$184.801
LA$184.86–$190.062
MA$197.00–$210.292
MD$194.42–$212.433
ME$184.68–$189.612
MI$188.09–$195.932
MN$189.631
MO$183.41–$189.793
MS$181.531
MT$193.041
NC$185.701
ND$188.491
NE$183.011
NH$194.901
NJ$204.78–$211.902
NM$188.921
NV$191.841
NY$187.35–$220.065
OH$187.161
OK$184.021
OR$190.50–$200.562
PA$187.02–$199.452
PR$193.701
RI$196.711
SC$186.701
SD$187.961
TN$183.271
TX$186.35–$196.408
UT$188.171
VA$189.63–$212.432
VI$193.701
VT$188.581
WA$196.37–$213.042
WI$184.871
WV$187.401
WY$191.061

See 99306 in every payment locality

How the 99306 rate is calculated

Each of 99306’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 · 99306

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work3.50

3.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense2.05

2.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.23

0.23 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

5.7800

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$193.06

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

The exact South Carolina inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

13,047

Code
99306
Physician work
3.50
Practice expense
2.05
Malpractice
0.23

GPCI2026.csv

93

Locality
South Carolina
Physician work
1.000
Practice expense
0.924
Malpractice
0.850
Office calculation for 99306 in South Carolina
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work3.50× 1.0003.5000
Practice expense2.05× 0.9241.8942
Malpractice0.23× 0.8500.1955
Total RVUs5.5897
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, South Carolina$186.70

Office: (3.5 × 1 + 2.05 × 0.924 + 0.23 × 0.85) × $33.4009 = $186.70

Facility: (3.5 × 1 + 1.16 × 0.924 + 0.23 × 0.85) × $33.4009 = $159.23

Open 99306 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 99306

99306 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 · 99306

Which rate does Medicare pay?

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

POS 11 · non-facility rate · national

$193.06

Non-facility (office)
$193.06
Facility
$163.33

Higher because the practice carries its own overhead.

How 99306 has changed in South Carolina

99306 · Office / nonfacility

$186.70

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $17.47 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $169.23 to $186.70 (10.3%).

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

    $169.23changed to$186.70

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Practice expense RVU 1.70 changed to 2.05
    • Malpractice RVU 0.22 changed to 0.23
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.913 changed to 0.924
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.817 changed to 0.850

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $174.12changed to$169.23

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 1.69 changed to 1.70
    • Malpractice RVU 0.23 changed to 0.22

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $171.28changed to$174.12

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $175.32changed to$171.28

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 1.66 changed to 1.69
    • Malpractice RVU 0.22 changed to 0.23
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.908 changed to 0.913
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.756 changed to 0.817
  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $157.58changed to$175.32

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Work RVU 3.06 changed to 3.50
    • Practice expense RVU 1.50 changed to 1.66
    • Malpractice RVU 0.20 changed to 0.22
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.903 changed to 0.908
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.695 changed to 0.756

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $159.20changed to$157.58

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 1.51 changed to 1.50

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $162.50changed to$159.20

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 1.46 changed to 1.51
    • Malpractice RVU 0.19 changed to 0.20
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.907 changed to 0.903
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.624 changed to 0.695

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $161.72changed to$162.50

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 1.45 changed to 1.46
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.912 changed to 0.907
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.553 changed to 0.624

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $162.20changed to$161.72

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 1.47 changed to 1.45

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $161.93changed to$162.20

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 1.46 changed to 1.47
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.634 changed to 0.553

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $161.12changed to$161.93

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 1.43 changed to 1.46
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.715 changed to 0.634

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $162.03changed to$161.12

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 1.44 changed to 1.43

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $161.22changed to$162.03

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $161.16changed to$161.22

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 1.43 changed to 1.44
    • Malpractice RVU 0.22 changed to 0.19
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.911 changed to 0.912
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.618 changed to 0.715

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $155.81changed to$161.16

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 1.54 changed to 1.43
    • Malpractice RVU 0.23 changed to 0.22
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.909 changed to 0.911
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.520 changed to 0.618

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $155.81

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$186.70$159.23RVU26D
2026-07-01$186.70$159.23RVU26C
2026-04-01$186.70$159.23RVU26B
2026-01-01$186.70$159.23RVU26A
2025-10-01$169.23$169.23RVU25D
2025-07-01$169.23$169.23RVU25C
2025-04-01$169.23$169.23RVU25B
2025-01-01$169.23$169.23RVU25A
2024-10-01$174.12$174.12RVU24D
2024-07-01$174.12$174.12RVU24C
2024-04-01$174.12$174.12RVU24B
2024-03-09$174.12$174.12RVU24AR
2024-01-01$171.28$171.28RVU24A
2023-10-01$175.32$175.32RVU23D
2023-07-01$175.32$175.32RVU23C
2023-04-01$175.32$175.32RVU23B
2023-01-01$175.32$175.32RVU23A
2022-10-01$157.58$157.58RVU22D
2022-07-01$157.58$157.58RVU22C
2022-04-01$157.58$157.58RVU22B
2022-01-01$157.58$157.58RVU22A
2021-10-01$159.20$159.20RVU21D
2021-07-01$159.20$159.20RVU21C
2021-04-01$159.20$159.20RVU21B
2021-01-01$159.20$159.20RVU21A
2020-10-01$162.50$162.50RVU20D
2020-07-01$162.50$162.50RVU20C
2020-04-01$162.50$162.50RVU20B
2020-01-01$162.50$162.50RVU20A
2019-10-01$161.72$161.72RVU19D
2019-07-01$161.72$161.72RVU19C
2019-04-01$161.72$161.72RVU19B
2019-01-01$161.72$161.72RVU19A
2018-10-01$162.20$162.20RVU18D
2018-07-01$162.20$162.20RVU18C
2018-04-01$162.20$162.20RVU18B
2018-01-01$162.20$162.20RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$161.93$161.93RVU17D
2017-07-01$161.93$161.93RVU17C
2017-04-01$161.93$161.93RVU17B
2017-01-01$161.93$161.93RVU17A
2016-10-01$161.12$161.12RVU16D
2016-07-01$161.12$161.12RVU16C
2016-04-01$161.12$161.12RVU16B
2016-01-01$161.12$161.12RVU16A
2015-10-01$162.03$162.03RVU15D
2015-07-01$162.03$162.03RVU15C
2015-04-01$161.22$161.22RVU15B
2015-01-01$161.22$161.22RVU15A
2014-10-01$161.16$161.16RVU14D
2014-07-01$161.16$161.16RVU14C
2014-04-01$161.16$161.16RVU14B
2014-01-01$161.16$161.16RVU14A
2013-10-01$155.81$155.81RVU13D
2013-07-01$155.81$155.81RVU13C
2013-04-01$155.81$155.81RVU13B
2013-01-01$155.81$155.81RVU13AR

Price 99306 for an earlier date of service

Where the South Carolina rate applies

South Carolina is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 475 cities and communities in South Carolina. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Abbeville
  • Abney Crossroads
  • Adams Run
  • Aiken
  • Alcolu
  • Allendale
  • Anderson
  • Andrews

Browse all communities in South Carolina

99306 billing questions

When should 99306 be chosen over 99305?

Both are initial nursing facility visits. Choose 99306 for high MDM or at least 50 minutes of qualifying time; 99305 requires moderate MDM or at least 35 minutes. When selecting by MDM, document the elements supporting the higher level.

What is modifier AI and when is it appended?

For Medicare, modifier AI identifies the principal physician of record on an initial nursing facility visit. Other practitioners who perform qualifying initial visits report them without AI.

Can a nurse practitioner bill 99306?

A physician must perform the required initial comprehensive visit for a Medicare SNF resident, but a nurse practitioner may report another medically necessary initial visit when supported. In a nursing facility, a qualified nurse practitioner not employed by the facility may perform the required initial comprehensive visit when permitted.

How is prolonged time reported with 99306?

Medicare uses G0317 when the applicable prolonged-service threshold is met; payers following CPT may use 99418. The primary visit must be selected by time, and the prolonged-service requirements must also be met.

Can 99306 be billed if the patient was seen by the same practitioner earlier in the stay?

After that practitioner's initial visit, later visits during the same stay are reported with subsequent nursing facility codes 99307–99310. A new admission after discharge may support another initial visit.

Does activity on other days count toward the 50 minutes?

No. Count only the reporting practitioner's qualifying time on the encounter date, such as chart review, examination, orders, and documentation. Exclude facility staff time and time spent on separately reported services.

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 99306PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 13,047 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for South CarolinaGPCI2026.csv, line 93 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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