Billing code 94680: Oxygen uptake testMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports direct expired-gas measurement of oxygen uptake at rest and during exercise, when both conditions are assessed using this simple testing service.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.9K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $57.78 for 94680 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $50.47–$79.64.

Medicare rate · 94680

Oxygen uptake test

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
0.25
Total RVUs
1.73
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

$57.78

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 94680 → · 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
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 94680 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 94680 covers

This service measures oxygen uptake by analyzing expired gas directly, first at rest and then during exercise. It is performed in pulmonary function laboratories and similar diagnostic settings, typically by respiratory testing staff with a qualified clinician interpreting the findings. The results can help assess exercise-related respiratory or metabolic limitations; the service is narrower than a comprehensive cardiopulmonary exercise evaluation.

Select this code when the documented test includes direct oxygen-uptake measurement at both rest and exercise. The record should support the conditions tested and the direct expired-gas method; distinguish it from indirect measurement and from exercise testing that evaluates a broader set of cardiopulmonary responses. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for the interpretation, modifier TC for equipment and staff, or neither for 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 94680 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

$50.47 to $79.64

$50.47$65.06$79.64
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

94680 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$51.29Unavailable
Alaska*$64.66Unavailable
Arizona$56.14Unavailable
Arkansas$50.47Unavailable
Atlanta$58.78Unavailable
Austin$60.50Unavailable
Bakersfield$62.20Unavailable
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$61.69Unavailable
Beaumont$53.35Unavailable
Brazoria$57.19Unavailable

94680 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.

$50.47

$70.88

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

View every state and territory as a table
94680 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$64.661
AL$51.291
AR$50.471
AZ$56.141
CA$62.11–$79.6429
CO$60.761
CT$61.891
DC$66.971
DE$57.141
FL$56.16–$61.303
GA$52.75–$58.782
GU$64.001
HI$64.001
IA$53.061
ID$53.381
IL$54.13–$59.924
IN$53.731
KS$52.641
KY$52.321
LA$52.17–$55.062
MA$60.28–$67.412
MD$58.37–$66.973
ME$53.53–$56.982
MI$53.70–$56.782
MN$58.481
MO$51.07–$55.463
MS$50.791
MT$57.781
NC$54.181
ND$57.191
NE$53.431
NH$59.641
NJ$62.67–$66.132
NM$53.971
NV$57.661
NY$55.06–$68.335
OH$53.581
OK$52.381
OR$57.29–$63.042
PA$53.76–$60.112
PR$58.301
RI$59.431
SC$53.951
SD$57.121
TN$52.911
TX$53.35–$60.508
UT$54.781
VA$56.67–$66.972
VI$58.301
VT$56.801
WA$60.22–$69.012
WI$55.061
WV$51.871
WY$57.521

How the 94680 rate is calculated

Each of 94680’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 · 94680

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 0.25Practice expense 1.45Malpractice 0.03

1.7300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$57.78

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 94680

The CMS indicators that decide how 94680 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 94680

Oxygen uptake test

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodXXXThe global surgery concept doesn’t apply.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical1Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 26 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

94680 without 26 · national office

$57.78

Oxygen uptake test

94680-26 · Professional component

$12.36

Pays only the interpretation and report.

When to use modifier 26

94680 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

94680 vs 94681 vs 94690 vs 94618 vs 94621: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 94680
    Oxygen uptake test · 0.25 wRVU
    $57.78
  • 94681
    Gas-exchange analysis · 0.2 wRVU
    $50.10−$7.68
  • 94690
    Metabolic testing · 0.07 wRVU
    $52.44−$5.34
  • 94618
    Pulmonary stress test · 0.47 wRVU
    $37.07−$20.71
  • 94621
    Exercise test · 1.38 wRVU
    $165.67+$107.89

How to choose

94681Gas-exchange analysis
Choose 94680 for direct oxygen-uptake measurement at rest and exercise. 94681 includes carbon dioxide output and oxygen-extraction measures.
94690Metabolic testing
94690 is indirect oxygen-uptake analysis at rest. 94680 uses direct expired-gas analysis and includes exercise testing.
94618Pulmonary stress test
94618 is pulmonary stress testing focused on the exercise response; 94680 measures oxygen uptake directly from expired gas at rest and during exercise.
94621Exercise test
94621 is a broader cardiopulmonary exercise evaluation with multiple physiologic measures. 94680 identifies the narrower direct oxygen-uptake service.

94680 billing questions

How is 94680 different from 94690?

94680 describes direct oxygen-uptake analysis at rest and during exercise. 94690 is for indirect oxygen-uptake analysis at rest.

When should modifier 26 or TC be used?

Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service involving equipment and staff. Report the global service without either modifier when one claim includes both components.

Is 94680 the same as a cardiopulmonary exercise test?

No. 94680 identifies direct oxygen-uptake measurement at rest and with exercise; 94621 describes a broader cardiopulmonary exercise evaluation.

What should the test documentation show?

Document that oxygen uptake was measured by direct expired-gas analysis and that testing covered both rest and exercise.

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 94680PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 12,421 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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