Billing code 77436: Radiation planningMedicare rate & RVUs
Planning for superficial radiation therapy is reported when the treatment approach for a superficial target is developed before radiation delivery.
Medicare pays $78.49 for 77436 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $70.59–$103.44.
Medicare rate · 77436
Radiation planning
- Work RVUs
- 0.77
- Total RVUs
- 2.35
- Global days
- XXX
National rate · 2026
$78.49
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 77436 →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.
On this page 10 sections
What 77436 covers
This service covers planning for superficial radiation therapy, used when radiation is directed at a target near the body surface. A radiation oncologist typically determines the treatment approach for the target; the planning work may involve the radiation oncology team in an outpatient cancer center. It is distinct from delivering a treatment fraction or providing treatment management during a course of radiation.
Report the planning service when the record supports a plan for superficial radiation treatment, with documentation identifying the target and the planned approach. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
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 77436 pays more and less
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
109 payment localities
$70.59 to $103.44
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $71.48 | Unavailable |
| Alaska* | $94.10 | Unavailable |
| Arizona | $76.71 | Unavailable |
| Arkansas | $70.59 | Unavailable |
| Atlanta | $79.66 | Unavailable |
| Austin | $81.37 | Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | $83.40 | Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $82.98 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $73.77 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $77.94 | Unavailable |
| Chicago | $80.66 | Unavailable |
| Chico | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Colorado | $81.80 | Unavailable |
| Connecticut | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $78.33 | Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $89.19 | Unavailable |
| Delaware | $77.87 | Unavailable |
| Detroit | $77.61 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $75.73 | Unavailable |
| El Centro | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | $80.24 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $77.83 | Unavailable |
| Fresno | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $78.11 | Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | $84.98 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $78.84 | Unavailable |
| Idaho | $73.67 | Unavailable |
| Indiana | $74.05 | Unavailable |
| Iowa | $73.31 | Unavailable |
| Kansas | $72.89 | Unavailable |
| Kentucky | $72.67 | Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $88.51 | Unavailable |
| Madera | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Manhattan | $89.25 | Unavailable |
| Merced | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | $89.38 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $75.32 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $81.32 | Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $76.03 | Unavailable |
| Miami | $82.64 | Unavailable |
| Minnesota | $79.04 | Unavailable |
| Mississippi | $70.99 | Unavailable |
| Modesto | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Montana** | $78.49 | Unavailable |
| Napa | $95.81 | Unavailable |
| Nebraska | $73.70 | Unavailable |
| Nevada** | $78.32 | Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | $80.43 | Unavailable |
| New Mexico | $74.49 | Unavailable |
| New Orleans | $75.64 | Unavailable |
| North Carolina | $74.56 | Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | $77.70 | Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | $88.43 | Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $91.00 | Unavailable |
| Ohio | $74.03 | Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | $72.69 | Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $88.07 | Unavailable |
| Portland | $84.27 | Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $84.82 | Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | $79.04 | Unavailable |
| Queens | $90.09 | Unavailable |
| Redding | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | $76.90 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | $73.19 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $74.77 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $72.52 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | $73.87 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | $79.26 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $81.36 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | $74.19 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | $71.36 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $84.38 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | $75.52 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | $77.89 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $74.20 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $75.74 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | $81.23 | Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | $80.53 | Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $83.70 | Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $87.18 | Unavailable |
| Salinas | $86.85 | Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $88.73 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $101.30 | Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $101.26 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $103.44 | Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $103.25 | Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $85.46 | Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $89.47 | Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $87.13 | Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $90.37 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $91.21 | Unavailable |
| South Carolina | $74.38 | Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | $77.60 | Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | $77.54 | Unavailable |
| Stockton | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $81.09 | Unavailable |
| Tennessee | $73.19 | Unavailable |
| Utah | $75.27 | Unavailable |
| Vallejo | $95.75 | Unavailable |
| Vermont | $77.32 | Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | $79.04 | Unavailable |
| Virginia | $77.22 | Unavailable |
| Visalia | $83.25 | Unavailable |
| West Virginia | $72.33 | Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | $75.41 | Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | $78.14 | Unavailable |
| Yuba City | $83.25 | Unavailable |
77436 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.
$70.59
$94.10
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View every state and territory as a table
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $94.10 | 1 |
| AL | $71.48 | 1 |
| AR | $70.59 | 1 |
| AZ | $76.71 | 1 |
| CA | $83.25–$103.44 | 29 |
| CO | $81.80 | 1 |
| CT | $83.25 | 1 |
| DC | $89.19 | 1 |
| DE | $77.87 | 1 |
| FL | $76.90–$82.64 | 3 |
| GA | $73.19–$79.66 | 2 |
| GU | $84.98 | 1 |
| HI | $84.98 | 1 |
| IA | $73.31 | 1 |
| ID | $73.67 | 1 |
| IL | $74.77–$81.09 | 4 |
| IN | $74.05 | 1 |
| KS | $72.89 | 1 |
| KY | $72.67 | 1 |
| LA | $72.52–$75.64 | 2 |
| MA | $81.36–$89.38 | 2 |
| MD | $79.26–$89.19 | 3 |
| ME | $73.87–$77.54 | 2 |
| MI | $74.19–$77.61 | 2 |
| MN | $79.04 | 1 |
| MO | $71.36–$76.03 | 3 |
| MS | $70.99 | 1 |
| MT | $78.49 | 1 |
| NC | $74.56 | 1 |
| ND | $77.70 | 1 |
| NE | $73.70 | 1 |
| NH | $80.43 | 1 |
| NJ | $84.38–$88.43 | 2 |
| NM | $74.49 | 1 |
| NV | $78.32 | 1 |
| NY | $75.52–$91.00 | 5 |
| OH | $74.03 | 1 |
| OK | $72.69 | 1 |
| OR | $77.89–$84.27 | 2 |
| PA | $74.20–$81.32 | 2 |
| PR | $79.04 | 1 |
| RI | $80.53 | 1 |
| SC | $74.38 | 1 |
| SD | $77.60 | 1 |
| TN | $73.19 | 1 |
| TX | $73.77–$81.37 | 8 |
| UT | $75.27 | 1 |
| VA | $77.22–$89.19 | 2 |
| VI | $79.04 | 1 |
| VT | $77.32 | 1 |
| WA | $81.23–$91.21 | 2 |
| WI | $75.41 | 1 |
| WV | $72.33 | 1 |
| WY | $78.14 | 1 |
How the 77436 rate is calculated
Each of 77436’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 · 77436
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.77
0.77 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.54
1.54 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.04
0.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
2.3500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$78.49
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 77436
The CMS indicators that decide how 77436 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 77436
Radiation planning
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
77436 without 26 · national office
$78.49
Radiation planning
77436-26 · Professional component
$41.75
Pays only the interpretation and report.
77436 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 77437Superficial radiation
- Use 77436 for planning. Code 77437 reports superficial radiation delivery at up to 150 kV.
- 77438Superficial radiation
- Use 77436 for planning. Code 77438 reports superficial radiation delivery above 150 kV through 500 kV.
- 77439Radiation image guidance
- Code 77439 represents ultrasound image guidance for superficial radiation delivery; it does not describe the planning service reported with 77436.
77436 billing questions
How is this different from codes 77437 and 77438?
Code 77436 is for planning. Codes 77437 and 77438 describe superficial radiation treatment delivery, distinguished by the treatment energy.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. CMS lists modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the technical portion involving equipment and staff. Without a modifier, the service is billed globally.
What documentation supports reporting 77436?
The record should identify the superficial treatment target and document the treatment approach developed for it.
Is 77439 the same service as this planning code?
No. Code 77439 is for ultrasound image guidance associated with superficial radiation treatment delivery; 77436 represents planning.
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
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