Billing code 92577: Stenger testMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports a speech-based Stenger test used by an audiologist to assess reported unilateral or asymmetric hearing loss against behavioral responses.
Medicare pays $20.95–$23.57 for 92577 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to Suburban Chicago. 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 92577 covers
An audiologist performs this behavioral test when a patient reports hearing loss that is substantially worse in one ear, particularly when responses on other hearing tests are inconsistent. Speech stimuli are presented to both ears at controlled levels, and the patient’s responses help assess whether the reported asymmetry is supported by the test. The test may be part of an outpatient audiologic evaluation, alongside other hearing measures when those are separately performed.
Report 92577 for the technical performance of the speech Stenger test; CMS identifies it as a technical-component-only service, with interpretation covered by a separate code. Documentation should identify the reason for testing, the test conditions, responses from each ear, and the findings. The code is priced as bilateral, so report the service once rather than adding modifier 50 to increase payment.
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 92577 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$20.95 to $23.57
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $23.26 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $21.26 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $20.95 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $23.57 | Unavailable |
How the 92577 rate is calculated
Each of 92577’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 · 92577
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.00Practice expense 0.67Malpractice 0.01
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92577
The CMS indicators that decide how 92577 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 92577
Stenger test
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| 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 | 3 | Technical component only. |
92577 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
92577 vs 92565 vs 92556 vs 92557: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 92565Stenger test
- Use 92577 for a speech-based Stenger test and 92565 when the Stenger test uses pure tones.
- 92556Speech audiometry
- 92556 assesses speech thresholds and recognition; 92577 uses a Stenger procedure to evaluate responses in reported asymmetric hearing loss.
- 92557Comprehensive hearing test
- 92557 is comprehensive audiometry combining air- and bone-conduction and speech testing. 92577 is a distinct speech Stenger test, not a comprehensive hearing test.
92577 billing questions
How is 92577 different from the pure-tone Stenger test?
92577 is the speech-based Stenger test. Use 92565 for the pure-tone Stenger test.
Does 92577 include interpretation?
No. CMS identifies 92577 as technical-component-only; interpretation is covered by a separate code.
Should modifier 50 be appended?
No. CMS prices 92577 as bilateral, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.
Can 92577 be reported with comprehensive audiometry?
It may be reported with 92557 when comprehensive audiometry is also performed. Document the separate test results and services.
What documentation supports 92577?
Record the clinical reason for the speech Stenger test, the controlled test conditions, responses from both ears, and the resulting findings.
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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