Billing code 93280: Pacemaker programming checkMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $78.49 for 93280 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $70.50–$103.66.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 93280 covers

This in-person evaluation tests a dual-lead pacemaker, typically with atrial and ventricular leads. A programmer measures battery status, lead impedance, sensing, and capture thresholds and reviews stored episodes and pacing data. Settings such as output, rate limits, AV delay, or pacing mode are adjusted iteratively to test performance and select optimal permanent values; the original settings may be retained. The service is performed in cardiology or electrophysiology clinics and hospitals. A technician or manufacturer representative may assist, while a physician or other qualified health care professional analyzes and reports the findings.

Select 93280 for iterative programming of an implanted dual-lead pacemaker, rather than interrogation alone. Document the implanted leads, measurements, settings tested, final programmed values, and the practitioner's analysis, review, and report. Medicare recognizes a professional component (modifier 26) for interpretation and a technical component (modifier TC) for equipment and staff; billing without either modifier represents the global service. Hospital-based physicians generally bill the professional component because the hospital supplies technical resources; offices providing both components may bill globally. When multiple eligible cardiovascular diagnostic services are furnished on the same date, CMS reduces the technical component under its cardiovascular multiple-procedure policy.

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 93280 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

93280 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

How the 93280 rate is calculated

Each of 93280’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 93280

The CMS indicators that decide how 93280 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 26

93280 compared with similar codes

How to choose

93288Pacemaker interrogation

93288 covers in-person interrogation and review. Choose 93280 when settings are iteratively adjusted to test device function and select optimal values, even if the original settings are retained.

93279Pacemaker programming

93279 applies to single-lead or leadless pacemakers; 93280 applies when the pacemaker system has two leads, typically atrial and ventricular.

93281Pacemaker evaluation

93281 is for pacemaker systems with multiple leads, such as cardiac resynchronization pacemakers; 93280 is for dual-lead systems.

93283ICD evaluation

93283 covers a dual-lead implantable cardioverter-defibrillator; 93280 covers a dual-lead pacemaker without defibrillation capability.

Codes related to 93280

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

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