FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

HCPCS code Q0091: Pap collection, screening specimen2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Houston, TX

Q0091 reports obtaining and preparing a cervical or vaginal specimen for a screening Pap test and sending it to the laboratory.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality368.7K Medicare services in 2024

In Houston, TX, Medicare pays $46.33 for Q0091 in the office and $16.15 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$46.33Office (non-facility)
$16.15Hospital or facility
+0.5%vs the national office rate ($46.09)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · Q0091 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 Q0091 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Houston, TX
  2. What Q0091 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 Q0091 covers

Q0091 represents the clinician’s work to obtain a cervical or vaginal specimen for a screening Pap test, prepare it, and send it to the laboratory. It is commonly reported when a physician or other qualified practitioner collects the sample during a preventive gynecologic visit. The code covers specimen acquisition and handling, not cytology interpretation or a separately performed pelvic examination.

Report Q0091 when the collection is for screening, rather than evaluation of symptoms or a known abnormality. Documentation should identify the screening purpose, record that the specimen was collected, and support its preparation and conveyance to the laboratory. G0101 may describe a screening pelvic examination performed at the same visit; the laboratory reports cytology under the code matching its preparation and screening method. CMS assigns physician work and practice-expense values to Q0091, with separate office and facility practice-expense inputs.

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 Houston, TX compares for Q0091

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for Q0091 runs from $40.94 in Arkansas to $61.57 in San Benito County, CA. Houston, TX pays $46.33. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Q0091 in Houston, TX vs other payment areas
  1. Houston, TX · this page$46.33
  2. Austin, TX · Texas$47.92+$1.59
  3. Beaumont, TX · Texas$43.05−$3.28
  4. Brazoria, TX · Texas$45.67−$0.66
  5. Dallas, TX · Texas$45.93−$0.40
  6. Fort Worth, TX · Texas$45.61−$0.72
  7. Galveston, TX · Texas$45.79−$0.54

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

Every other payment area

Q0091 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Rest of TexasTexas$44.31$15.46
Los Angeles, CACalifornia$52.30$16.34
Washington, DC areaDistrict of Columbia$52.74$16.94
Miami, FLFlorida$48.98$17.34
Chicago, ILIllinois$47.64$17.09
Manhattan, NYNew York$52.81$17.49
AlaskaAlaska$53.80$21.43
AlabamaAlabama$41.53$14.93

Q0091 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.

$40.94

$55.29

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

View every state and territory as a table
Q0091 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$53.801
AL$41.531
AR$40.941
AZ$44.921
CA$49.01–$61.5729
CO$48.131
CT$49.091
DC$52.741
DE$45.661
FL$45.14–$48.983
GA$42.71–$46.862
GU$50.201
HI$50.201
IA$42.681
ID$42.921
IL$43.78–$47.844
IN$43.161
KS$42.421
KY$42.341
LA$42.25–$44.282
MA$47.83–$52.892
MD$46.53–$52.743
ME$43.07–$45.432
MI$43.35–$45.622
MN$46.351
MO$41.50–$44.513
MS$41.241
MT$46.091
NC$43.521
ND$45.501
NE$42.921
NH$47.321
NJ$49.71–$52.212
NM$43.551
NV$45.961
NY$44.14–$53.975
OH$43.221
OK$42.331
OR$45.66–$49.702
PA$43.33–$47.862
PR$46.441
RI$47.301
SC$43.431
SD$45.431
TN$42.621
TX$43.05–$47.928
UT$44.011
VA$45.24–$52.742
VI$46.441
VT$45.271
WA$47.76–$54.022
WI$44.011
WV$42.191
WY$45.831

See Q0091 in every payment locality

How the Q0091 rate is calculated

Each of Q0091’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 · Q0091

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.36

0.36 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.99

0.99 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.03

0.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

1.3800

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$46.09

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

The exact Houston, TX inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

18,050

Code
Q0091
Physician work
0.36
Practice expense
0.99
Malpractice
0.03

GPCI2026.csv

102

Locality
Houston, TX
Physician work
1.008
Practice expense
0.993
Malpractice
1.376
Office calculation for Q0091 in Houston, TX
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work0.36× 1.0080.3629
Practice expense0.99× 0.9930.9831
Malpractice0.03× 1.3760.0413
Total RVUs1.3872
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Houston, TX$46.33

Office: (0.36 × 1.008 + 0.99 × 0.993 + 0.03 × 1.376) × $33.4009 = $46.33

Facility: (0.36 × 1.008 + 0.08 × 0.993 + 0.03 × 1.376) × $33.4009 = $16.15

Open Q0091 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for Q0091

Q0091 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 · Q0091

Which rate does Medicare pay?

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

POS 11 · non-facility rate · national

$46.09

Non-facility (office)
$46.09
Facility
$15.70

Higher because the practice carries its own overhead.

Codes related to Q0091

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

Codes related to Q0091
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Houston, TX
Often billed with
G0101Screening pelvic exam, pelvic and clinical breast examReports a screening pelvic examination that may be performed during the same preventive encounter.$40.58
88142Pap test, preservative fluid, manual screeningReports laboratory cytology analysis, separate from obtaining and sending the specimen.$20.26
G0123Pap cytology, cytotechnologist-screened thin layerReports a laboratory screening cytology service using thin-layer preparation.$20.26

How Q0091 has changed in Houston, TX

Q0091 · Office / nonfacility

$46.33

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $2.46 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $43.87 to $46.33 (5.6%).

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

    $43.87changed to$46.33

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 0.37 changed to 0.36
    • Practice expense RVU 0.95 changed to 0.99
    • Malpractice RVU 0.02 changed to 0.03
    • Work GPCI 1.014 changed to 1.008
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.003 changed to 0.993
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.409 changed to 1.376

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $44.81changed to$43.87

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 0.94 changed to 0.95

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $44.08changed to$44.81

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $44.60changed to$44.08

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 0.90 changed to 0.94
    • Work GPCI 1.023 changed to 1.014
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.016 changed to 1.003
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.154 changed to 1.409

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $45.08changed to$44.60

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 0.86 changed to 0.90
    • Malpractice RVU 0.04 changed to 0.02
    • Work GPCI 1.032 changed to 1.023
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.029 changed to 1.016
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.900 changed to 1.154

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $45.10changed to$45.08

    • 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

    $44.51changed to$45.10

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 0.81 changed to 0.85
    • Malpractice RVU 0.03 changed to 0.04
    • Work GPCI 1.026 changed to 1.032
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.020 changed to 1.029
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.918 changed to 0.900

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $44.86changed to$44.51

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 0.82 changed to 0.81
    • Malpractice RVU 0.04 changed to 0.03
    • Work GPCI 1.020 changed to 1.026
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.012 changed to 1.020
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.936 changed to 0.918

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $45.90changed to$44.86

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 0.85 changed to 0.82

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $46.04changed to$45.90

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 0.86 changed to 0.85
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.009 changed to 1.012
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.946 changed to 0.936

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $45.84changed to$46.04

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Work GPCI 1.019 changed to 1.020
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.006 changed to 1.009
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.955 changed to 0.946

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $46.01changed to$45.84

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $45.78changed to$46.01

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $45.02changed to$45.78

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 0.85 changed to 0.86
    • Malpractice RVU 0.03 changed to 0.04
    • Work GPCI 1.014 changed to 1.019
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.004 changed to 1.006
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.939 changed to 0.955

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $46.03changed to$45.02

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 0.95 changed to 0.85
    • Work GPCI 1.009 changed to 1.014
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.002 changed to 1.004
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.923 changed to 0.939

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $46.03

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$46.33$16.15RVU26D
2026-07-01$46.33$16.15RVU26C
2026-04-01$46.33$16.15RVU26B
2026-01-01$46.33$16.15RVU26A
2025-10-01$43.87$17.91RVU25D
2025-07-01$43.87$17.91RVU25C
2025-04-01$43.87$17.91RVU25B
2025-01-01$43.87$17.91RVU25A
2024-10-01$44.81$18.43RVU24D
2024-07-01$44.81$18.43RVU24C
2024-04-01$44.81$18.43RVU24B
2024-03-09$44.81$18.43RVU24AR
2024-01-01$44.08$18.13RVU24A
2023-10-01$44.60$18.77RVU23D
2023-07-01$44.60$18.77RVU23C
2023-04-01$44.60$18.77RVU23B
2023-01-01$44.60$18.77RVU23A
2022-10-01$45.08$19.45RVU22D
2022-07-01$45.08$19.45RVU22C
2022-04-01$45.08$19.45RVU22B
2022-01-01$45.08$19.45RVU22A
2021-10-01$45.10$19.61RVU21D
2021-07-01$45.10$19.61RVU21C
2021-04-01$45.10$19.61RVU21B
2021-01-01$45.10$19.61RVU21A
2020-10-01$44.51$19.85RVU20D
2020-07-01$44.51$19.85RVU20C
2020-04-01$44.51$19.85RVU20B
2020-01-01$44.51$19.85RVU20A
2019-10-01$44.86$20.06RVU19D
2019-07-01$44.86$20.06RVU19C
2019-04-01$44.86$20.06RVU19B
2019-01-01$44.86$20.06RVU19A
2018-10-01$45.90$20.40RVU18D
2018-07-01$45.90$20.40RVU18C
2018-04-01$45.90$20.40RVU18B
2018-01-01$45.90$20.40RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$46.04$20.33RVU17D
2017-07-01$46.04$20.33RVU17C
2017-04-01$46.04$20.33RVU17B
2017-01-01$46.04$20.33RVU17A
2016-10-01$45.84$20.27RVU16D
2016-07-01$45.84$20.27RVU16C
2016-04-01$45.84$20.27RVU16B
2016-01-01$45.84$20.27RVU16A
2015-10-01$46.01$20.34RVU15D
2015-07-01$46.01$20.34RVU15C
2015-04-01$45.78$20.24RVU15B
2015-01-01$45.78$20.24RVU15A
2014-10-01$45.02$19.84RVU14D
2014-07-01$45.02$19.84RVU14C
2014-04-01$45.02$19.84RVU14B
2014-01-01$45.02$19.84RVU14A
2013-10-01$46.03$19.10RVU13D
2013-07-01$46.03$19.10RVU13C
2013-04-01$46.03$19.10RVU13B
2013-01-01$46.03$19.10RVU13AR

Price Q0091 for an earlier date of service

Where the Houston, TX rate applies

Houston, TX is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 46 cities and communities in Texas. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

Browse all communities in Texas

Q0091 billing questions

How is Q0091 different from G0101?

Q0091 represents collection and handling of the screening Pap specimen. G0101 represents a screening pelvic examination when that examination is performed and documented.

Does Q0091 include the laboratory's cytology interpretation?

No. Q0091 covers obtaining, preparing, and sending the specimen; the laboratory reports its cytology service under the applicable laboratory code.

Can Q0091 be reported for a diagnostic Pap test?

Q0091 is for obtaining a specimen for screening. When testing is performed to evaluate symptoms or a known abnormality, do not characterize that collection as screening.

What documentation supports Q0091?

Document the screening purpose, the cervical or vaginal specimen collection, and preparation and conveyance of the specimen to the laboratory.

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 Q0091PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 18,050 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for Houston, TXGPCI2026.csv, line 102 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what Q0091 pays in Houston, TX?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets · Coming soon

Put Q0091 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.

Join the waitlist