$262.11–$293.38
77767 describes high-dose-rate skin surface brachytherapy using one channel. Choose 77789 for low-dose-rate surface source application.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
77789 Surface brachytherapy Medicare reimbursement rates in Massachusetts
Reports low-dose-rate brachytherapy when a radionuclide source is applied at a superficial treatment site rather than inserted into tissue or a cavity. Compare 77789 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Massachusetts.
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.
What does Medicare pay for 77789 in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$138.01–$152.34
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
No supported rate
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Brachytherapy
About 77789: Low-dose-rate surface brachytherapy application
Reports low-dose-rate brachytherapy when a radionuclide source is applied at a superficial treatment site rather than inserted into tissue or a cavity.
This service covers applying a low-dose-rate radionuclide source at a superficial treatment site using a surface applicator. A radiation oncologist typically directs the treatment, with radiation therapy staff assisting in a hospital or radiation oncology setting. The source is positioned against the target rather than placed into an interstitial tract or body cavity, distinguishing this approach from interstitial and intracavitary brachytherapy.
Select the code for the surface application method, and document the treatment site, source or applicator placement, and the physician’s work. CMS allows billing for the global service or separately for the professional interpretation with modifier 26 and the technical portion with modifier TC. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery is paid only when medical necessity is documented; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 77789
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 0-day global period: same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.
- Professional and technical components
- Diagnostic test with a professional component (modifier 26, interpretation) and a technical component (modifier TC, equipment and staff); billing without a modifier is the global service.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery is paid only with documentation of medical necessity.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU1.11 · 28%
- Practice expense (office) RVU2.80 · 70%
- Malpractice RVU0.07 · 2%
172
Medicare services in 2024 · #4466 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.
77789 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Massachusetts, from the same CMS release.
$385.84–$432.36
77768 describes high-dose-rate skin surface brachytherapy using multiple channels. It is not the low-dose-rate surface application reported with 77789.
$440.07–$484.99
77761 applies when a source is placed inside a body cavity for a simple intracavitary treatment; 77789 is for a surface application.
Compare 77789 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
2 of 2 payment localities
Metropolitan Boston →
Office / nonfacility
$152.34
Facility
Unavailable
Rest Of Massachusetts →
Office / nonfacility
$138.01
Facility
Unavailable
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77789 billing questions
How does this differ from the high-dose-rate skin surface codes?
This code is for low-dose-rate surface application. Codes 77767 and 77768 describe high-dose-rate skin surface brachytherapy and are selected according to channel count.
When would an intracavitary code be more appropriate?
Use an intracavitary code when the source is placed within a body cavity, rather than applied at the surface. Codes 77761–77763 distinguish intracavitary applications by complexity.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical portion; billing without either modifier represents the global service.
Does the 0-day global period include same-day care?
Yes. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the service.
Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery modifier be used?
Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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.
9,16977778,,Apply interstit radiat compl,A,,8.56,18.83,,18.83,NA,0.54,27.93,27.93,1,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17077778,26,Apply interstit radiat compl,A,,8.56,4.83,,4.83,,0.38,13.77,13.77,1,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17177778,TC,Apply interstit radiat compl,A,,0.00,14.00,,14.00,NA,0.16,14.16,14.16,1,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17277789,,Apply surf ldr radionuclide,A,,1.11,2.80,,2.80,NA,0.07,3.98,3.98,1,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17377789,26,Apply surf ldr radionuclide,A,,1.11,0.63,,0.63,,0.05,1.79,1.79,1,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17477789,TC,Apply surf ldr radionuclide,A,,0.00,2.17,,2.17,NA,0.02,2.19,2.19,1,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17577790,,Radiation handling,A,,0.00,0.54,,0.54,NA,0.02,0.56,0.56,3,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00