Billing code 96360: Hydration infusionMedicare rate & RVUs in Massachusetts
Reports an initial IV fluid infusion for clinically indicated hydration, such as fluid replacement for dehydration, when the documented infusion meets the required duration.
Medicare pays $34.88–$38.91 for 96360 in the office in Massachusetts, from Rest Of Massachusetts to Metropolitan Boston. 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 96360 covers
96360 reports IV fluids given to replace fluid volume, such as hydration for documented dehydration after vomiting or poor oral intake. A nurse or other clinical staff member commonly administers the infusion in an office, clinic, or emergency department. The service is fluid replacement, not the administration of a therapeutic medication; fluid used only as a drug carrier or to keep an IV line open does not establish hydration as a separately reportable service.
Report 96360 for an infusion lasting 31 minutes through one hour, supported by the infusion record and documentation of the clinical need for hydration. Report it once as the initial hydration service; 96361 is the add-on code for qualifying additional hydration time. When a medication is infused, distinguish its administration from any separately medically necessary hydration. Medicare treats this as an incident-to service and permits billing only when performed under physician supervision.
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 96360 pays more and less in Massachusetts
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Boston | $38.91 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $34.88 | Unavailable |
How the 96360 rate is calculated
Each of 96360’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 · 96360
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.17
0.17 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.82
0.82 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.0000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$33.40
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 96360
The CMS indicators that decide how 96360 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 96360
Hydration infusion
| 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) | 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 | 5 | Incident-to service. |
96360 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 96361IV hydration
- 96360 covers the initial hydration interval. 96361 reports qualifying additional hydration time and must accompany an appropriate initial service.
- 96365IV drug infusion
- Choose 96360 for fluid replacement as the purpose of the infusion; choose 96365 for an infused therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic medication.
- 96374IV push
- 96360 reports an IV hydration infusion. 96374 reports administration of a medication by IV push.
96360 billing questions
How is 96360 different from 96365?
96360 is for IV fluid replacement for hydration. Use 96365 when the service is an infusion of a therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic medication.
What infusion time supports 96360?
The initial hydration infusion must last at least 31 minutes and no more than one hour for 96360. Document the infusion duration in the administration record.
When is 96361 reported with 96360?
96361 is the add-on code for qualifying additional hydration time beyond the initial service. It is not reported by itself.
Can hydration be billed when medication is infused during the encounter?
Report hydration separately only when it is independently medically necessary and meets the hydration coding requirements. Fluid serving only as a medication carrier or line flush is not a separate hydration service.
What documentation supports 96360?
Document the clinical reason for fluid replacement, the fluid administered, and the infusion duration. Medicare billing also requires performance under physician supervision because this is an incident-to service.
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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