76881 is for a comprehensive joint examination; 76882 is for a focused assessment of a specific structure or clinical question.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
76882 Extremity ultrasound Medicare reimbursement rates in Tennessee
A focused ultrasound assessment of a joint or nonvascular extremity structure, reported when the exam targets a limited area such as a tendon or muscle. Compare 76882 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Tennessee.
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 76882 in Tennessee?
Tennessee has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$59.71
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Tennessee
One mapped payment locality.
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.
Ultrasound imaging
About 76882: Limited extremity musculoskeletal ultrasound
A focused ultrasound assessment of a joint or nonvascular extremity structure, reported when the exam targets a limited area such as a tendon or muscle.
This code describes a focused real-time ultrasound assessment of a joint or another nonvascular structure in an extremity. Typical targets include a suspected joint effusion, a tendon or muscle, or a localized soft-tissue concern. Radiologists, sports medicine physicians, rheumatologists, and orthopedic clinicians may perform the study in an office, clinic, or imaging department. The exam includes image documentation and a diagnostic interpretation.
Choose this code when the imaging is limited to a specific structure or focused question, rather than a broader survey of the joint. The report should identify the side and anatomy examined, the clinical indication, findings, and saved images. CMS recognizes a professional component for interpretation and a technical component for equipment and staff: bill modifier 26 for the professional work, modifier TC for the technical service, or neither modifier for the global service.
CMS billing rules for 76882
- 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 RVU0.67 · 35%
- Practice expense (office) RVU1.20 · 62%
- Malpractice RVU0.05 · 3%
375.3K
Medicare services in 2024 · #272 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.
76882 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Tennessee, from the same CMS release.
76883 describes a comprehensive ultrasound evaluation of a peripheral nerve and accompanying structures in one extremity, rather than a limited joint or nonvascular structure exam.
20611 covers major-joint or bursal aspiration or injection with ultrasound guidance. 76882 is a diagnostic limited ultrasound, not a code for guidance alone.
Compare 76882 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.
1 of 1 payment localities
Tennessee →
Office / nonfacility
$59.71
Facility
Unavailable
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How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 76882 in Tennessee.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
8,844
- Code
- 76882
- Physician work
- 0.67
- Practice expense
- 1.20
- Malpractice
- 0.05
GPCI2026.csv
95
- Locality
- Tennessee
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.909
- Malpractice
- 0.537
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 0.67 | × 1.000 | 0.6700 |
| Practice expense | 1.20 | × 0.909 | 1.0908 |
| Malpractice | 0.05 | × 0.537 | 0.0269 |
| Total RVUs | 1.7877 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Tennessee$59.71
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 0.67 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 1.2 | 0.909 |
| Malpractice | 0.05 | 0.537 |
(0.67 × 1 + 1.2 × 0.909 + 0.05 × 0.537) × $33.4009 = $59.71
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
76882 billing questions
When should 76882 be selected instead of 76881?
Use 76882 for a focused assessment of a specific structure or question. Use 76881 when the examination evaluates the joint comprehensively.
Can 76882 be reported for ultrasound guidance during a joint injection?
Do not use 76882 solely to represent needle guidance. Code 20611 describes major-joint or bursal aspiration or injection performed with ultrasound guidance.
Which modifiers identify the professional and technical services?
Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports a limited extremity ultrasound?
Document the clinical indication, side and specific structure examined, focused findings, saved images, and the interpreting clinician’s report.
How does 76882 differ from a peripheral nerve ultrasound?
Use 76882 for a limited joint or nonvascular extremity assessment. Code 76883 is for a comprehensive ultrasound evaluation of a nerve and accompanying structures in one extremity.
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.
