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Billing code 96932: Confocal skin imagingMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports technical acquisition of reflectance confocal microscopy images for the first skin lesion when interpretation is separately coded.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities27 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $122.58 for 96932 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $105.18–$176.46.

Medicare rate · 96932

Confocal skin imaging

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
0
Total RVUs
3.67
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

$122.58

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 96932 → · 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 96932 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 96932 covers

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) captures in-vivo images of a skin lesion at cellular detail without removing tissue. Dermatologists may use it to evaluate a concerning pigmented or nonpigmented lesion, including one suspected of skin cancer. This code covers image acquisition for the first lesion; it does not include the physician’s interpretation of the images.

Report the first-lesion acquisition code based on the service performed, not the lesion’s size or severity. Documentation should identify the lesion and its body site and support that RCM images were acquired. For additional lesions, use the applicable additional-lesion code. CMS classifies 96932 as a technical-component-only service, with interpretation covered by a separate code. When interpretation is performed and reported separately, document it distinctly from image acquisition.

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 96932 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

$105.18 to $176.46

$105.18$140.82$176.46
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

96932 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$107.16Unavailable
Alaska*$130.38Unavailable
Arizona$118.74Unavailable
Arkansas$105.18Unavailable
Atlanta$124.60Unavailable
Austin$129.63Unavailable
Bakersfield$134.19Unavailable
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$131.58Unavailable
Beaumont$111.56Unavailable
Brazoria$121.41Unavailable

96932 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.

$105.18

$155.31

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

View every state and territory as a table
96932 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$130.381
AL$107.161
AR$105.181
AZ$118.741
CA$134.16–$176.4629
CO$130.331
CT$132.061
DC$144.381
DE$121.081
FL$117.37–$128.103
GA$109.44–$124.602
GU$139.191
HI$139.191
IA$111.991
ID$112.631
IL$112.13–$126.144
IN$113.491
KS$110.681
KY$108.981
LA$108.51–$115.412
MA$128.99–$146.262
MD$124.02–$144.383
ME$112.68–$121.362
MI$111.99–$118.532
MN$125.891
MO$105.70–$116.713
MS$105.501
MT$122.581
NC$114.271
ND$122.381
NE$112.961
NH$127.551
NJ$133.86–$142.162
NM$112.501
NV$122.651
NY$116.37–$145.975
OH$111.951
OK$109.431
OR$121.99–$136.072
PA$112.54–$127.662
PR$123.921
RI$126.581
SC$113.241
SD$122.361
TN$111.301
TX$111.56–$129.638
UT$115.211
VA$120.40–$144.382
VI$123.921
VT$121.191
WA$128.98–$150.272
WI$117.221
WV$106.711
WY$122.491

How the 96932 rate is calculated

Each of 96932’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 · 96932

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 0.00Practice expense 3.66Malpractice 0.01

3.6700 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$122.58

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 96932

The CMS indicators that decide how 96932 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 96932

Confocal skin imaging

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/technical3Technical component only.

96932 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

96932 vs 96931 vs 96933 vs 96935 vs 96934: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 96932
    Confocal skin imaging · 0 wRVU
    $122.58
  • 96931
    Confocal microscopy · 0.78 wRVU
    $164.67+$42.09
  • 96933
    Confocal microscopy · 0.78 wRVU
    $42.09−$80.49
  • 96935
    Confocal imaging · 0 wRVU
    $76.15−$46.43
  • 96934
    Skin imaging · 0.74 wRVU
    $115.57−$7.01

How to choose

96931Confocal microscopy
Use 96932 for first-lesion image acquisition only. Use 96931 when the service includes both image acquisition and interpretation.
96933Confocal microscopy
96933 covers interpretation only for the first lesion; 96932 covers image acquisition only.
96935Confocal imaging
96935 is for image acquisition only on each additional lesion, while 96932 covers acquisition for the first lesion.
96934Skin imaging
96934 covers both acquisition and interpretation for each additional lesion. 96932 covers acquisition only for the first lesion.

Codes related to 96932

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

Codes related to 96932
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
96931Confocal microscopyReports first-lesion RCM image acquisition and interpretation together.$144.66–$227.59
Often billed with
96933Confocal microscopyReports interpretation for the first lesion when performed and coded separately.$39.48–$55.64
Same family
96935Confocal imagingReports image acquisition only for each additional lesion.$65.42–$109.81
96934Skin imagingReports acquisition and interpretation for each additional lesion.$102.41–$157.53
96936RCM interpretationReports interpretation only for each additional lesion.$37.00–$52.21

96932 billing questions

How does 96932 differ from 96931?

96932 reports image acquisition only for the first lesion. Use 96931 when the first-lesion service includes both acquisition and interpretation.

Is interpretation included in 96932?

No. CMS identifies 96932 as technical-component-only; the interpretation is reported separately with 96933 when performed.

How is acquisition for another lesion reported?

For acquisition only on each additional lesion, use 96935. The additional-lesion codes are selected according to whether acquisition, interpretation, or both were performed.

Is 96932 reported per image or per lesion?

It represents acquisition for the first lesion, rather than a count of individual images. Use the applicable additional-lesion code for further lesions.

What documentation supports 96932?

Document the lesion’s identity and body site and that reflectance confocal microscopy image acquisition was performed. Keep any separately performed interpretation documented as a distinct service.

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 96932PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 12,834 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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