Billing code 92588: Otoacoustic emissionsMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports a comprehensive, multi-frequency otoacoustic emission assessment with interpretation, commonly used to evaluate cochlear function when behavioral hearing testing is limited.
Medicare pays $34.59–$37.87 for 92588 in the office in Washington, from Rest Of Washington to Seattle (King Cnty). 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 92588 covers
An audiologist uses a small probe in the ear canal to present sounds and record the cochlea’s resulting otoacoustic emissions. This comprehensive assessment samples multiple frequencies and helps evaluate outer hair cell function, including when an infant or another patient cannot reliably complete behavioral testing. It provides objective information about cochlear responses, rather than behavioral hearing thresholds.
Report the comprehensive service when the evaluation meets the code’s frequency scope and includes interpretation and a report; retain the test results and interpretation in the record. A limited evoked otoacoustic emission evaluation is a different service. CMS separately prices the professional interpretation and the technical equipment-and-staff portions: report modifier 26 for the professional component or TC for the technical component, or report the global service without either modifier. CMS pricing treats the service as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment.
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 92588 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $34.59 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $37.87 | Unavailable |
How the 92588 rate is calculated
Each of 92588’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 · 92588
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.55Practice expense 0.44Malpractice 0.02
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92588
The CMS indicators that decide how 92588 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 92588
Otoacoustic emissions
| 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) | 2 | Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%. |
| 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
92588 without 26 · national office
$33.73
Otoacoustic emissions
92588-26 · Professional component
$28.72
Pays only the interpretation and report.
92588 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
92588 vs 92587 vs 92557 vs 92567: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 92587Otoacoustic emissions
- Use 92588 for the comprehensive evaluation covering at least 12 frequencies with interpretation and a report; 92587 is the limited evaluation.
- 92557Comprehensive hearing test
- 92557 assesses behavioral pure-tone and speech responses. 92588 measures otoacoustic emissions and is useful when behavioral responses are unavailable or unreliable.
- 92567Tympanometry
- 92567 measures middle-ear function with tympanometry; 92588 records cochlear emissions. They assess different parts of the auditory system.
92588 billing questions
How does this differ from 92587?
92588 is for a comprehensive evaluation covering at least 12 frequencies, with interpretation and a report. 92587 is the limited evaluation, generally covering 3–6 frequencies.
Can the professional and technical portions be billed separately?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical portion involving equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
Should modifier 50 be reported?
No. CMS pricing already treats 92588 as bilateral, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.
What documentation supports the comprehensive service?
Keep the frequency-specific test results, evidence that the comprehensive frequency scope was performed, and the interpretation and report. The record should make clear that the service was more than a limited evaluation.
Is this the same as a behavioral hearing test?
No. Otoacoustic emission testing records cochlear responses to sound; behavioral audiometry measures responses from the patient and can establish hearing thresholds. The tests answer different clinical questions.
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
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