Billing code 97009: Scalp coolingMedicare rate & RVUs in Colorado
Reports mechanical scalp cooling continued after chemotherapy as part of an oncology treatment encounter, when furnished with its required primary procedure.
Medicare pays $6.75 for 97009 in the office in Colorado (Colorado). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 9 sections
What 97009 covers
This code represents mechanical scalp cooling provided after chemotherapy, as part of a treatment approach intended to reduce chemotherapy-associated hair loss. Oncology infusion staff typically manage the cooling system during an infusion-center visit, continuing the cooling service after the chemotherapy administration has ended. It is distinct from measuring and fitting a cooling system or preparing and placing it before treatment.
Report 97009 only with a primary procedure; it is not a standalone service. Documentation should identify the chemotherapy encounter and show that mechanical scalp cooling continued after chemotherapy. CMS treats this as an add-on code, with payment handled within the primary procedure’s global period. The supplied CMS facts do not specify a time unit or a particular primary code, so the record and applicable code instructions should support the reported service and pairing.
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.
97009 in Colorado
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $6.75 | Unavailable |
How the 97009 rate is calculated
Each of 97009’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 · 97009
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.19
0.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.1900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$6.35
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 97009
The CMS indicators that decide how 97009 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 97009
Scalp cooling
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
97009 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 97008Scalp cooling
- Choose 97008 for preparing and placing the cooling system; 97009 describes cooling provided after chemotherapy.
- 97007Scalp cooling
- 97007 is for measuring and fitting the scalp-cooling system, rather than providing post-chemotherapy cooling.
- 97010Hot or cold packs therapy
- 97010 describes hot or cold pack therapy. It is not the code for mechanical scalp cooling after chemotherapy.
97009 billing questions
How does 97009 differ from 97008?
97009 represents mechanical scalp cooling after chemotherapy. 97008 covers preparation and placement of the cooling system.
Can 97009 be reported by itself?
No. CMS identifies it as an add-on code that must be reported with a primary procedure.
What documentation supports 97009?
Document the chemotherapy encounter and that mechanical scalp cooling continued after chemotherapy. The record should support the primary procedure reported with the add-on.
Is 97009 reported with chemotherapy administration?
Scalp cooling may occur during an oncology infusion encounter, alongside the applicable chemotherapy administration service. Report 97009 only with its required primary procedure.
Does 97009 have a time-based unit?
The CMS facts provided do not specify a time unit. Do not infer units from the service’s duration; follow the applicable code instructions.
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
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