$150.24–$187.57
78230 describes salivary gland imaging. Use 78232 when the study evaluates gland function, such as tracer uptake and secretion.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
78232 Salivary gland study Medicare reimbursement rates in New York
Reports a nuclear medicine study evaluating salivary gland function, including tracer uptake and secretion, rather than imaging anatomy alone. Compare 78232 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in New York.
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 78232 in New York?
New York has 5 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 5 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$98.40–$121.91
5 of 5 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.
Where 78232 pays more and less in New York
5 payment localities
$98.40 to $121.91
Nuclear medicine
About 78232: Salivary gland function study
Reports a nuclear medicine study evaluating salivary gland function, including tracer uptake and secretion, rather than imaging anatomy alone.
This nuclear medicine study evaluates how the salivary glands take up and release a radiotracer. A technologist administers the tracer and acquires images; a radiologist or nuclear medicine physician interprets the functional findings. It may be ordered when a clinician is assessing impaired salivary function, such as persistent dry mouth or suspected gland dysfunction. A stimulation step may be used to assess secretion and clearance as part of the study protocol.
Report 78232 when the service performed is a functional assessment, not simply salivary gland imaging or serial imaging. The record should identify the indication, tracer and acquisition performed, any stimulation used, and the interpreting findings. CMS recognizes professional and technical components: modifier 26 identifies the interpretation, modifier TC identifies the equipment and staff portion, and billing without either modifier represents the global service. The professional and technical components have separately priced modifiers in the CMS fee schedule.
CMS billing rules for 78232
- 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.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU0.46 · 15%
- Practice expense (office) RVU2.58 · 83%
- Malpractice RVU0.05 · 2%
49
Medicare services in 2024 · #5369 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.
78232 compared with similar codes
Office rates for New York, from the same CMS release.
$100.07–$123.69
78231 describes serial salivary gland imaging; 78232 is selected for a functional study rather than serial imaging alone.
78999
No office rateUnlisted misc px dx nuc med
78999 is an unlisted diagnostic nuclear medicine code. Use the specific 78232 code when the performed service is a salivary gland function study.
Compare 78232 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.
5 of 5 payment localities
Manhattan →
Office / nonfacility
$119.13
Facility
Unavailable
Nyc Suburbs/Long Island →
Office / nonfacility
$121.91
Facility
Unavailable
Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs →
Office / nonfacility
$112.44
Facility
Unavailable
Queens →
Office / nonfacility
$120.61
Facility
Unavailable
Rest Of New York →
Office / nonfacility
$98.40
Facility
Unavailable
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78232 billing questions
How does 78232 differ from 78230?
Use 78232 for a functional study assessing gland uptake or secretion. 78230 describes salivary gland imaging without that functional-study focus.
When is 78231 a closer fit?
78231 is for serial salivary gland imaging. Choose 78232 when the performed service is a functional assessment rather than serial imaging alone.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. Report modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports reporting 78232?
Document the clinical reason for testing, the tracer and functional acquisition performed, any stimulation used, and the physician's interpretation of gland function.
Is 78232 reported per gland or per image?
The CMS facts provided do not specify a per-gland or per-image unit basis. Document the study performed and follow the code's applicable reporting instructions.
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.
9,27878231,,Salivary glnd img serial img,A,,0.51,2.58,,2.58,NA,0.05,3.14,3.14,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,12.12,12.12,0.20
9,27978231,26,Salivary glnd img serial img,A,,0.51,0.09,,0.09,,0.01,0.61,0.61,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,28078231,TC,Salivary glnd img serial img,A,,0.00,2.49,,2.49,NA,0.04,2.53,2.53,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,12.03,12.03,0.19
9,28178232,,Salivary gland function std,A,,0.46,2.58,,2.58,NA,0.05,3.09,3.09,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,12.11,12.11,0.20
9,28278232,26,Salivary gland function std,A,,0.46,0.08,,0.08,,0.01,0.55,0.55,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,28378232,TC,Salivary gland function std,A,,0.00,2.50,,2.50,NA,0.04,2.54,2.54,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,12.03,12.03,0.19
9,28478258,,Esophageal motility,A,,0.72,5.35,,5.35,NA,0.08,6.15,6.15,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,12.38,12.38,0.14