$25.42–$42.56
92555 reports speech-threshold testing alone. Choose 92556 when speech-recognition testing is also performed.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
92556 Speech audiometry Medicare reimbursement rates
Reports speech audiometry that measures a patient's speech threshold and speech recognition as part of a diagnostic hearing assessment. Compare 92556 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 92556?
The service location and office or facility setting determine which base rate applies. These are the supported base rates for the 109 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$39.77–$66.65
109 of 109 localities have a supported rate.
Lowest: Arkansas
Highest: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
A spread of $26.88 per service.
Facility setting
No supported rate
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 92556 pays more and less
109 payment localities
$39.77 to $66.65
Audiology
About 92556: Speech threshold and recognition audiometry
Reports speech audiometry that measures a patient's speech threshold and speech recognition as part of a diagnostic hearing assessment.
An audiologist typically presents speech stimuli to assess the level at which a patient can detect or repeat speech and how well the patient recognizes it. The testing helps characterize hearing difficulty and is commonly performed in an outpatient audiology clinic or an ear, nose, and throat practice. Unlike a speech-threshold-only test, this service includes speech recognition testing as well as threshold assessment.
Report 92556 for the speech portion when both threshold and recognition testing are performed; document the results and the testing performed. It represents the technical testing service, while interpretation is covered by a separate code. The CMS payment basis treats the service as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. When a comprehensive hearing assessment is performed, distinguish this speech testing from the broader combination of pure-tone and speech testing represented by 92557.
CMS billing rules for 92556
- Professional and technical components
- Technical-component-only code: a separate code covers interpretation.
- Bilateral procedures
- The code is already priced as bilateral; modifier 50 does not increase payment.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU0.00 · 0%
- Practice expense (office) RVU1.38 · 99%
- Malpractice RVU0.01 · 1%
54.9K
Medicare services in 2024 · #750 by national volume
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.
92556 compared with similar codes
Office rate ranges across all CMS payment localities, from the same CMS release.
$33.41–$46.61
92557 is the comprehensive audiometry service combining pure-tone and speech testing. 92556 represents the speech portion rather than that complete test combination.
$42.06–$70.50
92553 measures pure-tone hearing by air and bone conduction; 92556 assesses speech threshold and speech recognition.
See how rates vary across the country
92556 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
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.
$39.77
$58.68
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $49.27 | 1 |
| AL | $40.52 | 1 |
| AR | $39.77 | 1 |
| AZ | $44.95 | 1 |
| CA | $50.70–$66.65 | 29 |
| CO | $49.30 | 1 |
| CT | $50.05 | 1 |
| DC | $54.67 | 1 |
| DE | $45.84 | 1 |
| FL | $44.57–$48.83 | 3 |
| GA | $41.51–$47.23 | 2 |
| GU | $52.60 | 1 |
| HI | $52.60 | 1 |
| IA | $42.31 | 1 |
| ID | $42.56 | 1 |
| IL | $42.61–$47.93 | 4 |
| IN | $42.89 | 1 |
| KS | $41.84 | 1 |
| KY | $41.28 | 1 |
| LA | $41.11–$43.75 | 2 |
| MA | $48.80–$55.33 | 2 |
| MD | $46.95–$54.67 | 3 |
| ME | $42.61–$45.89 | 2 |
| MI | $42.46–$45.04 | 2 |
| MN | $47.53 | 1 |
| MO | $40.06–$44.22 | 3 |
| MS | $39.93 | 1 |
| MT | $46.43 | 1 |
| NC | $43.22 | 1 |
| ND | $46.23 | 1 |
| NE | $42.67 | 1 |
| NH | $48.28 | 1 |
| NJ | $50.70–$53.82 | 2 |
| NM | $42.67 | 1 |
| NV | $46.42 | 1 |
| NY | $44.02–$55.43 | 5 |
| OH | $42.42 | 1 |
| OK | $41.42 | 1 |
| OR | $46.14–$51.46 | 2 |
| PA | $42.63–$48.38 | 2 |
| PR | $46.93 | 1 |
| RI | $47.91 | 1 |
| SC | $42.87 | 1 |
| SD | $46.21 | 1 |
| TN | $42.08 | 1 |
| TX | $42.26–$49.06 | 8 |
| UT | $43.63 | 1 |
| VA | $45.55–$54.67 | 2 |
| VI | $46.93 | 1 |
| VT | $45.80 | 1 |
| WA | $48.79–$56.83 | 2 |
| WI | $44.26 | 1 |
| WV | $40.53 | 1 |
| WY | $46.34 | 1 |
Compare 92556 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Office $40.52 | Facility Unavailable |
| Alaska* | Office $49.27 | Facility Unavailable |
| Arizona | Office $44.95 | Facility Unavailable |
| Arkansas | Office $39.77 | Facility Unavailable |
| Atlanta | Office $47.23 | Facility Unavailable |
| Austin | Office $49.06 | Facility Unavailable |
| Bakersfield | Office $50.72 | Facility Unavailable |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | Office $49.87 | Facility Unavailable |
| Beaumont | Office $42.26 | Facility Unavailable |
| Brazoria | Office $45.94 | Facility Unavailable |
| Chicago | Office $47.09 | Facility Unavailable |
| Chico | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Colorado | Office $49.30 | Facility Unavailable |
| Connecticut | Office $50.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Dallas | Office $46.20 | Facility Unavailable |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Office $54.67 | Facility Unavailable |
| Delaware | Office $45.84 | Facility Unavailable |
| Detroit | Office $45.04 | Facility Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | Office $43.08 | Facility Unavailable |
| El Centro | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fort Lauderdale | Office $47.30 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | Office $45.74 | Facility Unavailable |
| Fresno | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Galveston | Office $46.05 | Facility Unavailable |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Hawaii, Guam | Office $52.60 | Facility Unavailable |
| Houston | Office $46.23 | Facility Unavailable |
| Idaho | Office $42.56 | Facility Unavailable |
| Indiana | Office $42.89 | Facility Unavailable |
| Iowa | Office $42.31 | Facility Unavailable |
| Kansas | Office $41.84 | Facility Unavailable |
| Kentucky | Office $41.28 | Facility Unavailable |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office $54.75 | Facility Unavailable |
| Madera | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Manhattan | Office $54.09 | Facility Unavailable |
| Merced | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Boston | Office $55.33 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | Office $43.61 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | Office $48.38 | Facility Unavailable |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | Office $44.22 | Facility Unavailable |
| Miami | Office $48.83 | Facility Unavailable |
| Minnesota | Office $47.53 | Facility Unavailable |
| Mississippi | Office $39.93 | Facility Unavailable |
| Modesto | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Montana** | Office $46.43 | Facility Unavailable |
| Napa | Office $60.92 | Facility Unavailable |
| Nebraska | Office $42.67 | Facility Unavailable |
| Nevada** | Office $46.42 | Facility Unavailable |
| New Hampshire | Office $48.28 | Facility Unavailable |
| New Mexico | Office $42.67 | Facility Unavailable |
| New Orleans | Office $43.75 | Facility Unavailable |
| North Carolina | Office $43.22 | Facility Unavailable |
| North Dakota** | Office $46.23 | Facility Unavailable |
| Northern Nj | Office $53.82 | Facility Unavailable |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | Office $55.43 | Facility Unavailable |
| Ohio | Office $42.42 | Facility Unavailable |
| Oklahoma | Office $41.42 | Facility Unavailable |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office $54.69 | Facility Unavailable |
| Portland | Office $51.46 | Facility Unavailable |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | Office $50.88 | Facility Unavailable |
| Puerto Rico | Office $46.93 | Facility Unavailable |
| Queens | Office $54.96 | Facility Unavailable |
| Redding | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of California | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Florida | Office $44.57 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | Office $41.51 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | Office $42.61 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Louisiana | Office $41.11 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maine | Office $42.61 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Maryland | Office $46.95 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Office $48.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Michigan | Office $42.46 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Missouri | Office $40.06 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of New Jersey | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of New York | Office $44.02 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Oregon | Office $46.14 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | Office $42.63 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | Office $44.04 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rest Of Washington | Office $48.79 | Facility Unavailable |
| Rhode Island | Office $47.91 | Facility Unavailable |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office $50.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office $53.79 | Facility Unavailable |
| Salinas | Office $53.60 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office $55.31 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office $65.14 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office $65.13 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office $66.65 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office $66.60 | Facility Unavailable |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office $52.68 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office $56.18 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office $53.92 | Facility Unavailable |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office $56.78 | Facility Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Office $56.83 | Facility Unavailable |
| South Carolina | Office $42.87 | Facility Unavailable |
| South Dakota** | Office $46.21 | Facility Unavailable |
| Southern Maine | Office $45.89 | Facility Unavailable |
| Stockton | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | Office $47.93 | Facility Unavailable |
| Tennessee | Office $42.08 | Facility Unavailable |
| Utah | Office $43.63 | Facility Unavailable |
| Vallejo | Office $60.90 | Facility Unavailable |
| Vermont | Office $45.80 | Facility Unavailable |
| Virgin Islands | Office $46.93 | Facility Unavailable |
| Virginia | Office $45.55 | Facility Unavailable |
| Visalia | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
| West Virginia | Office $40.53 | Facility Unavailable |
| Wisconsin | Office $44.26 | Facility Unavailable |
| Wyoming** | Office $46.34 | Facility Unavailable |
| Yuba City | Office $50.70 | Facility Unavailable |
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92556 billing questions
How does 92556 differ from 92555?
92556 includes speech recognition testing along with speech-threshold assessment. Use 92555 when the service is limited to speech-threshold testing.
Is interpretation included in 92556?
No. CMS classifies 92556 as a technical-component-only code; a separate code covers interpretation.
Should modifier 50 be appended when both ears are tested?
The code is already priced as bilateral. Modifier 50 does not increase its payment.
When should 92557 be used instead?
92557 represents comprehensive audiometry combining pure-tone testing with speech audiometry. Use 92556 for the speech testing when the broader comprehensive service is not performed.
What should the record support?
Document that speech-threshold and speech-recognition testing were performed and record the findings for each test.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
11,83092552,,Pure tone audiometry air,A,,0.00,1.20,,1.20,NA,0.01,1.21,1.21,3,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,2,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,83192553,,Audiometry air & bone,A,,0.00,1.46,,1.46,NA,0.01,1.47,1.47,3,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,2,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,83292555,,Speech threshold audiometry,A,,0.00,0.88,,0.88,NA,0.01,0.89,0.89,3,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,2,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,83392556,,Speech audiometry complete,A,,0.00,1.38,,1.38,NA,0.01,1.39,1.39,3,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,2,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,83492557,,Comprehensive hearing test,A,,0.60,0.46,,0.16,,0.01,1.07,0.77,7,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,2,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,83592558,,Evoked auditory test qual,X,+,0.17,0.11,,0.04,,0.01,0.29,0.22,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
11,83692562,,Loudness balance test,A,,0.00,1.46,,1.46,NA,0.01,1.47,1.47,3,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,2,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,02,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00