Billing code 92285: External eye photographyMedicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
External ocular photography records visible eye and adnexal findings for clinical assessment or comparison over time, with physician interpretation and a report.
Medicare pays $21.53–$24.20 for 92285 in the office in Georgia, from Rest Of Georgia to Atlanta. 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 92285 covers
An ophthalmic photographer or trained office staff member captures images of visible ocular structures, often using close-up or slit-lamp photography. Ophthalmologists and optometrists use the images to document findings such as eyelid or conjunctival lesions, corneal changes, and other external abnormalities, and to compare appearance at later visits. The service is commonly performed in an eye-care office or clinic.
Report 92285 when the record supports medically necessary external-eye imaging and includes the images and an interpretation or report. The code has professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies interpretation, modifier TC identifies equipment and staff, and no component modifier represents the global service. The ophthalmology diagnostic multiple procedure reduction applies to the technical component. CMS prices the code as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment when both eyes are photographed.
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 92285 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $24.20 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Georgia | $21.53 | Unavailable |
How the 92285 rate is calculated
Each of 92285’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 · 92285
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.05
0.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.64
0.64 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.7100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$23.71
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92285
The CMS indicators that decide how 92285 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 92285
External eye photography
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 7 | Diagnostic ophthalmology reduction applies to the technical component. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 2 | Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%. |
| 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 | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
92285 without 26 · national office
$23.71
External eye photography
92285-26 · Professional component
$3.01
Pays only the interpretation and report.
92285 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 92250Fundus photography
- 92285 documents visible external structures such as the eyelids or conjunctiva; 92250 photographs the fundus in the posterior segment.
- 92286Specular microscopy
- 92285 records external ocular appearance. 92286 is used for anterior-segment imaging with specular microscopy.
- 92287Eye angiography
- Choose 92285 for external ocular photographs; 92287 is for anterior-segment imaging using fluorescein angiography.
- 92235Fluorescein angiography
- 92285 documents external eye findings, while 92235 evaluates retinal circulation with fluorescein angiography.
92285 billing questions
When should 92285 be used instead of 92250?
Use 92285 for photographs of visible external ocular structures, such as eyelids, conjunctiva, or corneal surface. Use 92250 for fundus photography of the posterior segment.
Does 92285 include the interpretation?
Yes. The global service includes the professional interpretation and report along with the technical service. Modifier 26 identifies the professional component when billed separately.
When is modifier TC appropriate?
Use TC when billing only the technical component, including the equipment and staff service. The technical component is subject to the ophthalmology diagnostic multiple procedure reduction.
Should modifier 50 be appended when both eyes are photographed?
No. CMS prices 92285 as bilateral, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.
What documentation supports reporting 92285?
Keep the external ocular images and a report documenting the findings and their clinical relevance. The record should show why photography was performed, such as documenting an eyelid lesion or a change in the ocular surface.
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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