$26.64–$28.58
Choose 97012 when a mechanical device applies traction. Choose 97140 for qualifying hands-on manual therapy, including manual traction.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
97012 Mechanical traction Medicare reimbursement rates in Pennsylvania
Reports device-applied traction during therapy, commonly for cervical or lumbar conditions when mechanical pulling is part of the documented treatment plan. Compare 97012 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Pennsylvania.
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 97012 in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania 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
$13.85–$14.82
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.
Physical therapy
About 97012: Mechanical traction treatment
Reports device-applied traction during therapy, commonly for cervical or lumbar conditions when mechanical pulling is part of the documented treatment plan.
Mechanical traction uses a device to apply a pulling force to a body region, commonly the cervical or lumbar spine. Physical therapists and other qualified therapy professionals may use it during outpatient rehabilitation for conditions such as neck or low-back pain or radiating symptoms. The device may provide sustained or intermittent traction; this code distinguishes device-applied treatment from hands-on manual traction. It is a modality rather than an active exercise service.
Report the service when mechanical traction is actually provided and supported by the treatment plan. Documentation should identify the treated region, the clinical rationale, relevant device settings or application method, and the patient’s response. This is not a timed, 15-minute service; therapy coding guidance generally treats it as one unit per treatment date. The professional component modifier does not apply. Under the therapy multiple procedure payment reduction, CMS reduces practice expense for the second and later therapy units on the same day; the reduction can affect this service when it falls in that group.
CMS billing rules for 97012
- Professional and technical components
- Therapy service: the professional component modifier does not apply.
- Multiple procedures
- Therapy multiple procedure payment reduction: practice expense is reduced for the second and later therapy units on the same day.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU0.24 · 56%
- Practice expense (office) RVU0.18 · 42%
- Malpractice RVU0.01 · 2%
429.7K
Medicare services in 2024 · #246 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.
97012 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Pennsylvania, from the same CMS release.
$27.92–$29.96
97012 describes device-applied traction; 97110 describes therapeutic exercises. A visit may include both when each service is performed and documented separately.
97014
No office rateElectric stimulation therapy
97012 is mechanical traction, while 97014 is electrical stimulation therapy. Select the code for the modality actually furnished.
Compare 97012 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 Philadelphia →
Office / nonfacility
$14.82
Facility
Unavailable
Rest Of Pennsylvania →
Office / nonfacility
$13.85
Facility
Unavailable
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97012 billing questions
How is mechanical traction different from manual traction?
Report 97012 for traction applied with a mechanical device. Hands-on manual traction is generally reported as manual therapy under 97140 when the service meets that code’s requirements.
Is 97012 billed in 15-minute units?
No. It is an untimed modality, generally reported as one unit per treatment date rather than in 15-minute increments.
Can traction be reported with therapeutic exercise?
Yes, when both services are performed and independently supported by the treatment plan and documentation. For example, a visit may include device-applied traction and a separate therapeutic exercise program.
What documentation supports this service?
Record the treated region, reason for traction, device application or settings, and the patient’s response. The note should show that a mechanical device was used, rather than describing only hands-on treatment.
Should a professional component modifier be appended?
No. CMS identifies this therapy service as one to which the professional component modifier does not apply.
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.
12,84197008,,Mchnl sclp cool prep plmt,A,,0.00,0.29,,0.29,NA,0.01,0.30,0.30,0,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
12,84297009,,Mchnl sclp cool after chemo,A,,0.00,0.19,,0.19,NA,0.00,0.19,0.19,0,ZZZ,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
12,84397010,,Hot or cold packs therapy,B,+,0.06,0.13,,0.13,NA,0.01,0.20,0.20,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
12,84497012,,Mechanical traction therapy,A,,0.24,0.18,,0.18,NA,0.01,0.43,0.43,7,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,5,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
12,84597014,,Electric stimulation therapy,I,+,0.18,0.19,,0.19,NA,0.01,0.38,0.38,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
12,84697016,,Vasopneumatic device therapy,A,,0.18,0.17,,0.17,NA,0.01,0.36,0.36,7,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,5,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
12,84797018,,Paraffin bath therapy,A,,0.06,0.11,,0.11,NA,0.01,0.18,0.18,7,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,5,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00