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HCPCS code Q9956: Ultrasound contrast, per mL2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports the volume of intravenous octafluoropropane protein microsphere contrast used during echocardiography when cardiac structures need better ultrasound visualization.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare rate · Q9956

Ultrasound contrast, per mL

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 Q9956 →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 Q9956 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 Q9956 covers

Q9956 represents an intravenous ultrasound contrast agent made of protein microspheres containing octafluoropropane gas, known as perflutren protein-type A microspheres (Optison). It is commonly used during echocardiography when images do not clearly show the left ventricular cavity or endocardial borders. The echocardiography team administers the contrast while performing the imaging study; the imaging service is reported separately under the applicable echocardiography code.

Each Q9956 unit represents 1 mL of the contrast agent. CMS excludes this code from the physician fee schedule under status E. If Medicare covers the item or service, payment is handled through another method, with the Medicare contractor setting the amount under other-contractor pricing. Coverage is left to the Medicare contractor’s judgment.

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 Q9956 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

Q9956 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

Q9956 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
Q9956 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 Q9956 rate is calculated

Each of Q9956’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 · Q9956

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 Q9956

Q9956 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 · Q9956

Which rate does Medicare pay?

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

POS 11 · non-facility rate · national

—

Q9956 isn’t priced in this setting.

Q9956 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • Q9956

    Ultrasound contrast, per mL0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • Q9957

    Perflutren contrast, per ml0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • Q9950

    Sulfur hexafluoride, per mL0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • Q9955

    Perflexane injection, per milliliter0 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

Q9957Perflutren contrastPer ml
Choose Q9956 for octafluoropropane protein microspheres; Q9957 identifies perflutren lipid microspheres.
Q9950Sulfur hexafluoridePer mL
Q9950 identifies sulfur hexafluoride lipid microspheres, not the octafluoropropane protein microspheres represented by Q9956.
Q9955Perflexane injectionPer milliliter
Q9955 identifies perflexane lipid microspheres. Q9956 is for octafluoropropane protein microspheres.

Codes related to Q9956

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

Codes related to Q9956
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
Q9957Perflutren contrast, per mlIdentifies perflutren lipid microspheres, a different formulation of ultrasound contrast.No office rate
Q9950Sulfur hexafluoride, per mLIdentifies sulfur hexafluoride lipid microspheres used as ultrasound contrast.No office rate
Q9955Perflexane injection, per milliliterIdentifies perflexane lipid microspheres, another ultrasound contrast agent.No office rate
Often billed with
93306Echocardiogram (TTE), complete, with spectral and color DopplerComplete transthoracic echocardiography may be performed with contrast during the same encounter.$174.76–$265.52
93308Echocardiogram, follow-up or limited studyLimited transthoracic echocardiography may be performed with contrast during the same encounter.$88.92–$138.96

Q9956 billing questions

How is Q9956 different from Q9957?

Q9956 identifies octafluoropropane protein microspheres. Q9957 identifies perflutren lipid microspheres, a different formulation of ultrasound contrast.

How many units should be reported?

Report one unit for each 1 mL administered. Base the quantity on the volume used, not the number of imaging views.

Does Q9956 include the echocardiogram?

No. Q9956 identifies the contrast agent; the echocardiography service has its own procedure code.

What documentation supports Q9956?

Document the contrast agent used and the volume administered, along with the echocardiography service in which it was used.

How does Medicare handle payment and coverage?

CMS excludes Q9956 from the physician fee schedule. If Medicare covers it, the Medicare contractor sets payment under another payment method and determines coverage.

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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