$394.13
77761 describes a simple intracavitary radiation application. Use 77790 for documented technical source-handling or physics work, not for the application itself.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
77790 Radiation handling Medicare reimbursement rates in Tennessee
Reports technical radiation-handling and physics work associated with therapeutic radioactive sources, such as source-related work during brachytherapy. Compare 77790 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 77790 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
$16.75
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.
Radiation oncology
About 77790: Radiation handling and physics service
Reports technical radiation-handling and physics work associated with therapeutic radioactive sources, such as source-related work during brachytherapy.
Radiation handling and physics work supports therapeutic use of radioactive sources, commonly in brachytherapy. The radiation oncology team, including medical physicists and other qualified technical staff, performs source-related technical tasks and radiation-safety work around treatment. This service is distinct in purpose from placing an applicator or delivering a particular brachytherapy technique.
Report 77790 when the record identifies radiation-handling or physics work performed, rather than relying only on the presence of a brachytherapy procedure. Documentation should connect the technical work to the radioactive source and treatment, and identify the date and personnel involved. CMS classifies 77790 as technical-component-only; interpretation is represented by a separate code. The treatment application or delivery code describes the brachytherapy procedure itself, while 77790 represents the radiation-handling service.
CMS billing rules for 77790
- Professional and technical components
- Technical-component-only code: a separate code covers interpretation.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU0.00 · 0%
- Practice expense (office) RVU0.54 · 96%
- Malpractice RVU0.02 · 4%
41
Medicare services in 2024 · #5492 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.
77790 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Tennessee, from the same CMS release.
$230.00
77767 describes HDR skin-surface brachytherapy. It identifies a treatment modality, whereas 77790 represents radiation-handling and physics work.
$321.74
77770 describes HDR interstitial or intracavitary brachytherapy. Choose it for the treatment service; 77790 represents separately documented technical handling work.
Compare 77790 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
$16.75
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 77790 in Tennessee.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
9,175
- Code
- 77790
- Physician work
- 0.00
- Practice expense
- 0.54
- Malpractice
- 0.02
GPCI2026.csv
95
- Locality
- Tennessee
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.909
- Malpractice
- 0.537
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 0.00 | × 1.000 | 0.0000 |
| Practice expense | 0.54 | × 0.909 | 0.4909 |
| Malpractice | 0.02 | × 0.537 | 0.0107 |
| Total RVUs | 0.5016 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Tennessee$16.75
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 0 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 0.54 | 0.909 |
| Malpractice | 0.02 | 0.537 |
(0 × 1 + 0.54 × 0.909 + 0.02 × 0.537) × $33.4009 = $16.75
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.
77790 billing questions
Should 77790 be reported instead of a brachytherapy application code?
No. Codes such as 77761 describe an intracavitary application, while 77790 represents technical radiation-handling and physics work. The record should support the service represented by each code.
Does 77790 include interpretation?
No. CMS classifies 77790 as technical-component-only, with interpretation represented by a separate code.
What documentation supports 77790?
Document the source-related handling or physics work performed, its connection to treatment, and the date and personnel involved. A brachytherapy procedure alone does not describe the handling work.
Can 77790 be reported with a brachytherapy treatment code?
It may be reported with a related brachytherapy procedure when the record supports the radiation-handling service as well as the treatment application or delivery. Do not infer the handling work solely from the treatment code.
Does 77790 have a professional component?
No. CMS identifies 77790 as technical-component-only; interpretation is covered by a separate code.
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.
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9,17377789,26,Apply surf ldr radionuclide,A,,1.11,0.63,,0.63,,0.05,1.79,1.79,1,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17477789,TC,Apply surf ldr radionuclide,A,,0.00,2.17,,2.17,NA,0.02,2.19,2.19,1,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17577790,,Radiation handling,A,,0.00,0.54,,0.54,NA,0.02,0.56,0.56,3,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17677799,,Unlisted px clin brachytx,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,NA,0.00,0.00,0.00,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17777799,26,Unlisted px clin brachytx,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,17877799,TC,Unlisted px clin brachytx,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,NA,0.00,0.00,0.00,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9214412,RI,01,RHODE ISLAND,1.019,1.033,0.892
9311202,SC,01,SOUTH CAROLINA,1.000,0.924,0.850
9403402,SD,02,SOUTH DAKOTA**,1.000,1.000,0.336
9510312,TN,35,TENNESSEE,1.000,0.909,0.537
9604412,TX,31,AUSTIN,1.002,1.058,0.886
9704412,TX,20,BEAUMONT,1.000,0.910,0.929
9804412,TX,09,BRAZORIA,1.008,0.991,0.780