$201.59–$238.82
78262 assesses reflux from the stomach into the esophagus; 78258 evaluates esophageal motility.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
78262 Reflux imaging Medicare reimbursement rates in Virginia
Reports radionuclide imaging used to assess movement of stomach contents back into the esophagus during evaluation of suspected gastroesophageal reflux. Compare 78262 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Virginia.
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 78262 in Virginia?
Virginia 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
$213.38–$253.24
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.
Nuclear medicine
About 78262: Radionuclide gastroesophageal reflux study
Reports radionuclide imaging used to assess movement of stomach contents back into the esophagus during evaluation of suspected gastroesophageal reflux.
A nuclear medicine technologist administers a radiolabeled liquid or meal by mouth and obtains serial gamma-camera images to look for retrograde movement from the stomach into the esophagus. A nuclear medicine physician interprets the images. The study may be performed in a hospital imaging department for patients, including infants and children, being evaluated for suspected gastroesophageal reflux.
Report 78262 when the study is directed at detecting reflux, rather than evaluating esophageal motility or gastric emptying. Documentation should identify the clinical indication, the imaging performed, and the physician’s interpretation and findings. CMS recognizes separately priced professional and technical components: report modifier 26 for interpretation, modifier TC for equipment and staff, or neither modifier when billing the global service.
CMS billing rules for 78262
- 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 RVU0.66 · 10%
- Practice expense (office) RVU5.77 · 89%
- Malpractice RVU0.08 · 1%
26
Medicare services in 2024 · #5773 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.
78262 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Virginia, from the same CMS release.
Compare 78262 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
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs →
Office / nonfacility
$253.24
Facility
Unavailable
Virginia →
Office / nonfacility
$213.38
Facility
Unavailable
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78262 billing questions
When should 78262 be selected instead of 78258?
Use 78262 for radionuclide assessment of reflux from the stomach into the esophagus. Code 78258 evaluates esophageal motility.
How are the professional and technical services reported?
Use modifier 26 for the physician’s interpretation and modifier TC for the technical service. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports 78262?
Document the suspected reflux indication, the radionuclide imaging performed, and the interpreting physician’s findings and conclusion.
Is 78262 the code for a gastric emptying study?
No. Code 78262 assesses reflux into the esophagus; 78264 is used for gastric emptying imaging.
How does 78262 differ from an esophagram?
Code 78262 reports radionuclide imaging for reflux. An esophagram such as 74220 uses radiographic imaging to examine the esophagus.
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.
9,28778261,,Gastric mucosa imaging,A,,0.67,4.78,,4.78,NA,0.05,5.50,5.50,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,12.24,12.24,0.11
9,28878261,26,Gastric mucosa imaging,A,,0.67,0.12,,0.12,,0.01,0.80,0.80,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,28978261,TC,Gastric mucosa imaging,A,,0.00,4.66,,4.66,NA,0.04,4.70,4.70,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,12.12,12.12,0.10
9,29078262,,Gastroesophageal reflux std,A,,0.66,5.77,,5.77,NA,0.08,6.51,6.51,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,12.38,12.38,0.13
9,29178262,26,Gastroesophageal reflux std,A,,0.66,0.24,,0.24,,0.04,0.94,0.94,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
9,29278262,TC,Gastroesophageal reflux std,A,,0.00,5.53,,5.53,NA,0.04,5.57,5.57,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,01,0,99,12.14,12.14,0.09
9,29378264,,Gastric emptying img study,A,,0.77,7.82,,7.82,NA,0.09,8.68,8.68,1,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,12.41,12.41,0.12