No office rate
This code is for pleural tissue obtained through open thoracic exposure. Code 32096 is for open biopsy of a lung infiltrate.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
32098 in Salinas
Office / nonfacility
Not available in this setting
Base rate per service
Facility setting
$718.67
Base rate per service
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.
Thoracic surgery
About 32098: Open pleural biopsy by thoracotomy
Reports open surgical sampling of pleural tissue through thoracic exposure when direct tissue diagnosis is needed for a pleural abnormality.
A thoracic surgeon obtains pleural tissue through an open chest approach for diagnostic evaluation, such as when a pleural abnormality requires direct sampling. The target is the pleura, not lung parenchyma; this code is distinct from open biopsies directed at a lung infiltrate or nodule. The service is typically performed in a hospital operating room under general anesthesia.
Report the code when the operative record supports open access and pleural tissue sampling. Document the sampled site, approach, and reason for biopsy, and distinguish pleural sampling from any separate lung procedure. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
CMS billing rules for 32098
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU12.59 · 58%
- Practice expense (office) RVU5.95 · 28%
- Malpractice RVU3.06 · 14%
153
Medicare services in 2024 · #4545 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.
32098 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Salinas, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
Use this code for pleural sampling. Code 32097 applies when the open biopsy targets a lung nodule or mass.
No office rate
Both involve pleural biopsy, but 32609 uses thoracoscopy. This code represents an open thoracic approach.
$181.68
Code 32400 describes percutaneous needle biopsy of pleura; this code is for pleural biopsy through open surgical exposure.
The same code, a different location
How does Salinas compare?
32098 across payment areas
Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0
Salinas · This locality
Unavailable
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Other payment areas listed in California appear first, followed by selected cross-country examples. The chart compares amounts, not distance.
The code’s RVUs stay the same in these comparisons. Geographic adjustments to work, practice expense and malpractice change the dollar amount. A city name alone may not identify the payment area for a service address.
Compare all 108 other payment areas
Madera
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Merced
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Modesto
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Napa
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$760.86
No comparable office rate is available.
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$730.87
No comparable office rate is available.
Redding
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of California
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$733.08
No comparable office rate is available.
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.57
No comparable office rate is available.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$726.22
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$787.60
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$784.12
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$808.13
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$793.93
No comparable office rate is available.
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$708.81
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$725.59
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$718.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.96
No comparable office rate is available.
Stockton
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Vallejo
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$755.86
No comparable office rate is available.
Visalia
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Yuba City
California · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs
District of Columbia · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$791.09
No comparable office rate is available.
Miami
Florida · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$885.88
No comparable office rate is available.
Chicago
Illinois · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$857.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Manhattan
New York · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$840.46
No comparable office rate is available.
Alaska*
Alaska · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$898.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Alabama
Alabama · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$652.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Arkansas
Arkansas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$643.87
No comparable office rate is available.
Arizona
Arizona · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.58
No comparable office rate is available.
Colorado
Colorado · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$716.84
No comparable office rate is available.
Connecticut
Connecticut · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$766.64
No comparable office rate is available.
Delaware
Delaware · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$710.85
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Lauderdale
Florida · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$806.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Florida
Florida · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$764.13
No comparable office rate is available.
Atlanta
Georgia · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$746.44
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Georgia
Georgia · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$719.62
No comparable office rate is available.
Hawaii, Guam
Hawaii · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$705.66
No comparable office rate is available.
Iowa
Iowa · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$642.94
No comparable office rate is available.
Idaho
Idaho · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$651.70
No comparable office rate is available.
East St. Louis
Illinois · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$809.20
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Illinois
Illinois · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$761.71
No comparable office rate is available.
Suburban Chicago
Illinois · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$808.67
No comparable office rate is available.
Indiana
Indiana · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$654.42
No comparable office rate is available.
Kansas
Kansas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$651.69
No comparable office rate is available.
Kentucky
Kentucky · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$690.71
No comparable office rate is available.
New Orleans
Louisiana · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$723.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Louisiana
Louisiana · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$694.31
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Boston
Massachusetts · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$766.01
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Massachusetts
Massachusetts · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$717.97
No comparable office rate is available.
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys
Maryland · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$766.92
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maryland
Maryland · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$719.67
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maine
Maine · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$666.93
No comparable office rate is available.
Southern Maine
Maine · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$681.96
No comparable office rate is available.
Detroit
Michigan · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$784.62
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Michigan
Michigan · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$717.35
No comparable office rate is available.
Minnesota
Minnesota · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$655.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Kansas City
Missouri · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$706.99
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan St. Louis
Missouri · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$712.12
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Missouri
Missouri · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$691.38
No comparable office rate is available.
Mississippi
Mississippi · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$667.16
No comparable office rate is available.
Montana**
Montana · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.26
No comparable office rate is available.
North Carolina
North Carolina · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$671.25
No comparable office rate is available.
North Dakota**
North Dakota · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$660.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Nebraska
Nebraska · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$642.58
No comparable office rate is available.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$716.83
No comparable office rate is available.
Northern Nj
New Jersey · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$786.70
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New Jersey
New Jersey · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$766.48
No comparable office rate is available.
New Mexico
New Mexico · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$725.51
No comparable office rate is available.
Nevada**
Nevada · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$704.59
No comparable office rate is available.
Nyc Suburbs/Long Island
New York · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$873.52
No comparable office rate is available.
Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs
New York · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$780.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Queens
New York · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$829.72
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New York
New York · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$681.17
No comparable office rate is available.
Ohio
Ohio · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$704.99
No comparable office rate is available.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$677.40
No comparable office rate is available.
Portland
Oregon · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$724.08
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Oregon
Oregon · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$690.31
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Philadelphia
Pennsylvania · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$756.90
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$699.54
No comparable office rate is available.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$722.11
No comparable office rate is available.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$724.97
No comparable office rate is available.
South Carolina
South Carolina · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$691.02
No comparable office rate is available.
South Dakota**
South Dakota · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$653.59
No comparable office rate is available.
Tennessee
Tennessee · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$656.05
No comparable office rate is available.
Austin
Texas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$722.18
No comparable office rate is available.
Beaumont
Texas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$696.32
No comparable office rate is available.
Brazoria
Texas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.55
No comparable office rate is available.
Dallas
Texas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$709.94
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Worth
Texas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$709.28
No comparable office rate is available.
Galveston
Texas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$705.85
No comparable office rate is available.
Houston
Texas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$761.86
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Texas
Texas · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$701.41
No comparable office rate is available.
Utah
Utah · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$699.11
No comparable office rate is available.
Virginia
Virginia · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$688.03
No comparable office rate is available.
Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$722.11
No comparable office rate is available.
Vermont
Vermont · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$668.98
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Washington
Washington · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$713.03
No comparable office rate is available.
Seattle (King Cnty)
Washington · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$768.89
No comparable office rate is available.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$642.39
No comparable office rate is available.
West Virginia
West Virginia · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$739.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Wyoming**
Wyoming · 32098
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$694.89
No comparable office rate is available.
See how rates vary across the country
32098 · 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.
View all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
Where does this rate apply?
Salinas is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 30 cities and communities in California, including the examples shown here.
Some communities span more than one payment area. Follow a city link to compare all of its mapped areas, or check the service-location ZIP above for an address-level starting point.
Use this rate
What is a percentage of Medicare worth?
Turn a percentage into dollars for 32098 in Salinas. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.
Reference amount per service
$790.54
$718.67 × 110% = $790.54
A contract may specify another Medicare year or additional adjustments. This is percentage arithmetic on the displayed base rate, not a claim adjudication.
Working with a whole code list?
Compare an offer across your annual code mix, including an older Medicare schedule or flat per-code rates.
How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 32098 in Salinas.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,688
- Code
- 32098
- Physician work
- 12.59
- Practice expense
- 5.95
- Malpractice
- 3.06
GPCI2026.csv
22
- Locality
- Salinas
- Physician work
- 1.031
- Practice expense
- 1.159
- Malpractice
- 0.536
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 12.59 | × 1.031 | 12.9803 |
| Practice expense | 5.95 | × 1.159 | 6.8961 |
| Malpractice | 3.06 | × 0.536 | 1.6402 |
| Total RVUs | 21.5165 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Salinas$718.67
Open 32098 in the RVU calculator →
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 12.59 | 1.031 |
| Practice expense | 5.95 | 1.159 |
| Malpractice | 3.06 | 0.536 |
(12.59 × 1.031 + 5.95 × 1.159 + 3.06 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $718.67
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
How this rate has changed
32098 · Office / nonfacility
Rate unavailable
Effective 2026-10-01
A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.
One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.
What changed, release by release
Explore release dates and calculate this code in an earlier period →
Each row uses the accepted CMS release effective on that date and the same contractor and locality identifiers. Missing rates stay visible. Historical boundaries may differ; verify the service address for an older claim.
Inspect every release and its CMS source
| Effective from | Office / nonfacility | Facility | CMS release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $718.67 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $718.67 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $718.67 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $718.67 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $735.42 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $735.42 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $735.42 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $735.42 | RVU25A |
32098 billing questions
How does this differ from an open lung biopsy?
Use this code when the tissue sampled is pleura. Codes 32096 and 32097 describe open biopsies directed at lung infiltrates and lung nodules or masses, respectively.
Can this code be reported for each pleural specimen?
The service is reported for the open pleural biopsy procedure, not as a separate unit for every tissue fragment. The operative note should identify the pleural site and sampling performed.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral pleural sampling?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 should not be used.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative visits?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
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.
3,68532036,,Thoracostomy w/flap drainage,A,,11.99,8.18,NA,8.18,,3.02,23.19,23.19,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,68632096,,Open wedge/bx lung infiltr,A,,13.41,6.14,NA,6.14,,3.33,22.88,22.88,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,68732097,,Open wedge/bx lung nodule,A,,13.41,6.32,NA,6.32,,3.32,23.05,23.05,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,68832098,,Open biopsy of lung pleura,A,,12.59,5.95,NA,5.95,,3.06,21.60,21.60,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,68932100,,Exploration of chest,A,,13.41,6.55,NA,6.55,,3.31,23.27,23.27,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,6903210F,,Grp a strep test performed,M,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,69132110,,Explore/repair chest,A,,24.65,11.04,NA,11.04,,6.10,41.79,41.79,0,090,0.10,0.76,0.14,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1901112,CA,61,REDDING,1.017,1.096,0.536
2001112,CA,62,RIVERSIDE-SAN BERNARDINO-ONTARIO,1.018,1.096,0.853
2101112,CA,63,SACRAMENTO-ROSEVILLE-FOLSOM,1.036,1.163,0.536
2201112,CA,64,SALINAS,1.031,1.159,0.536
2301182,CA,72,SAN DIEGO-CHULA VISTA-CARLSBAD,1.030,1.196,0.542
2401112,CA,05,SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND-BERKELEY (SAN FRANCISCO/SAN MATEO/ALAMEDA/CONTRA COSTA CNTY),1.095,1.410,0.425
2501112,CA,52,SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND-BERKELEY (MARIN CNTY),1.095,1.410,0.459