Billing code 93896: TCD vasoreactivityMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports a complete transcranial Doppler vasoreactivity assessment of intracranial arteries, performed with a primary TCD procedure to evaluate cerebrovascular response.
Medicare pays $175.11–$193.90 for 93896 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 93896 covers
This service adds a complete cerebral vasoreactivity assessment using transcranial Doppler (TCD), which measures changes in blood-flow velocity in intracranial arteries during a vasodilatory challenge. Vascular laboratories and neurology services may perform it when evaluating cerebrovascular reserve, including in patients with suspected impaired autoregulation or intracranial arterial disease. The assessment evaluates the response across a complete intracranial TCD examination, rather than documenting baseline flow alone.
Report 93896 only with its required primary TCD procedure; it is an add-on, not a stand-alone service. For a complete intracranial TCD study, the primary procedure is generally 93886. Documentation should identify the arteries assessed, the challenge and response measurements, and the interpretation supporting a complete vasoreactivity evaluation. CMS payment is included within the primary procedure's global period. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, modifier TC identifies the technical service, and no component modifier represents the global service.
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 93896 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
$175.11 to $193.90
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $191.82 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $177.42 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $175.11 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $193.90 | Unavailable |
How the 93896 rate is calculated
Each of 93896’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 · 93896
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.79Practice expense 4.74Malpractice 0.08
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 93896
The CMS indicators that decide how 93896 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 93896
TCD vasoreactivity
| 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 | 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
93896 without 26 · national office
$187.38
TCD vasoreactivity
93896-26 · Professional component
$41.08
Pays only the interpretation and report.
93896 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
93896 vs 93886 vs 93888 vs 93892: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 93886Intracranial Doppler
- 93886 reports the complete intracranial TCD examination; 93896 adds the vasoreactivity assessment and requires a primary procedure.
- 93888Intracranial limited study
- 93888 is for a limited intracranial TCD examination. Use 93896 for the complete vasoreactivity add-on, not as a substitute for the limited study.
- 93892Tcd emboli detect w/o inj
- 93892 evaluates embolic signals. Code 93896 assesses intracranial flow response to a vasodilatory challenge.
93896 billing questions
Can 93896 be reported by itself?
No. It is an add-on and must be reported with a primary procedure; a complete intracranial TCD study is generally reported with 93886.
How is 93896 different from 93886?
93886 represents the complete intracranial TCD study. Code 93896 adds the vasoreactivity assessment to that primary study.
Which modifiers identify the components?
Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and TC for the technical service. Submit without a component modifier when billing the global service.
What documentation supports a complete vasoreactivity study?
Document the intracranial arteries assessed, the vasodilatory challenge and resulting flow-velocity measurements, and the interpretation of the response.
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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