CPT code 96933: Confocal microscopy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Oklahoma
Reports a physician’s interpretation of reflectance confocal microscopy images for the first skin lesion when image acquisition is billed separately.
Medicare pays $40.25 for 96933 in the office in Oklahoma (Oklahoma). 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 96933 covers
Reflectance confocal microscopy creates noninvasive optical images of skin at cellular detail. A physician, commonly a dermatologist, reviews the images and prepares the interpretation and report for a lesion being evaluated, such as a lesion with features that raise concern for skin cancer. The service is generally performed as part of outpatient dermatologic evaluation; this code represents the physician’s image interpretation, not image capture.
Report 96933 for interpretation and reporting of the first lesion when the technical acquisition is billed separately under 96932. The record should identify the lesion and site, support that the images were reviewed, and include the physician’s findings and report. For interpretation and reporting of an additional lesion, the corresponding code is 96936. CMS classifies 96933 as a professional-component-only code, so it represents the interpretive service rather than the technical work of acquiring images.
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.
96933 in Oklahoma
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $40.25 | Unavailable |
How the 96933 rate is calculated
Each of 96933’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 · 96933
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.78
0.78 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.45
0.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.03
0.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.2600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$42.09
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 96933
The CMS indicators that decide how 96933 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 96933
Confocal microscopy
| 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 | 2 | Professional component only. |
96933 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 96931Confocal microscopy
- 96931 includes image acquisition along with interpretation and reporting for the first lesion. Choose 96933 when only the interpretive service is represented and acquisition is billed separately.
- 96932Confocal skin imaging
- 96932 represents acquisition of images for the first lesion without interpretation and reporting. 96933 represents the physician’s interpretation and report.
- 96936RCM interpretation
- 96936 is for interpretation and reporting of each additional lesion; 96933 is for the first lesion.
96933 billing questions
When should 96933 be used instead of 96931?
Use 96933 when the billed service is interpretation and reporting for the first lesion only. Code 96931 covers acquisition together with interpretation and reporting for that lesion.
Does 96933 include image acquisition?
No. It covers interpretation and reporting; 96932 is the separate code for acquisition of images for the first lesion.
What code applies to interpretation of another lesion?
Use 96936 for interpretation and reporting of each additional lesion, rather than reporting 96933 again for an additional lesion.
What documentation supports 96933?
Document the lesion and its site, the physician’s review of the confocal images, and the resulting interpretation and report.
Does 96933 identify a professional or technical service?
It identifies the professional interpretation and report only. Image acquisition is represented separately by 96932 for the first lesion.
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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