Billing code 95829: Surgical ECoGMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports electrocorticography performed during surgery to record electrical activity directly from the cerebral cortex and support intraoperative assessment.
Medicare pays $1,814.18–$2,074.05 for 95829 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont to Austin. 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 95829 covers
This service records electrical activity directly from the exposed cerebral cortex during surgery, using electrodes placed on the brain surface. It is used in neurosurgical settings, including operations in which cortical activity is assessed as part of epilepsy surgery. The recording is distinct from a routine scalp EEG and from analysis of an implanted neurostimulator.
Report 95829 for the operative cortical recording and its interpretation; documentation should identify the surgical context and support that the study was performed and interpreted. CMS recognizes a professional component for interpretation, reported with modifier 26, and a technical component for the equipment and staff, reported with modifier TC. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service. CMS separately prices both component modifiers, so billing teams should identify whether the claim is for interpretation, technical work, or the complete service.
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.
Where 95829 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 payment localities
$1814.18 to $2074.05
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $2,074.05 | Unavailable |
| Beaumont | $1,814.18 | Unavailable |
| Brazoria | $1,956.04 | Unavailable |
| Dallas | $1,966.12 | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth | $1,948.73 | Unavailable |
| Galveston | $1,960.23 | Unavailable |
| Houston | $1,967.92 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Texas | $1,882.35 | Unavailable |
How the 95829 rate is calculated
Each of 95829’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 · 95829
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.05
6.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense52.61
52.61 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.42
0.42 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
59.0800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,973.33
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 95829
The CMS indicators that decide how 95829 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 95829
Surgical ECoG
| 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 | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
95829 without 26 · national office
$1,973.33
Surgical ECoG
95829-26 · Professional component
$337.35
Pays only the interpretation and report.
95829 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 95836Implanted ECoG
- Use 95829 for electrocorticography performed during surgery. Use 95836 for electrocorticography from an implanted brain neurostimulator.
- 95830EEG electrode insertion
- 95830 describes insertion of EEG electrodes. It is not the code for recording and interpreting cortical activity during surgery.
- 95816EEG
- 95816 describes an awake-and-drowsy EEG, generally recorded from scalp electrodes; 95829 is an operative recording from the cerebral cortex.
95829 billing questions
How does 95829 differ from a routine EEG?
95829 is for cortical electrical recording during surgery, with electrodes on the exposed brain. Codes such as 95816 and 95819 describe scalp EEG studies in awake or sleep states.
When should modifier 26 or TC be used?
Use modifier 26 for the professional interpretation and modifier TC for the equipment and staff portion. Submit 95829 without either modifier when billing the global service.
What documentation supports 95829?
Document that the recording took place during surgery, the cortical recording performed, and the interpretation. For a component claim, identify whether the billed service was professional or technical.
Is 95829 the code for checking an implanted brain neurostimulator?
No. 95829 describes electrocorticography during surgery; 95836 addresses electrocorticography from an implanted brain neurostimulator.
Is electrode insertion alone reported as 95829?
No. 95829 represents the operative electrocorticogram, including its professional and technical components as applicable. Code 95830 describes electrode insertion for EEG and represents a different service.
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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