Billing code 92608: Speech device evaluationMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports additional evaluation time beyond the initial hour spent assessing a patient’s needs and suitability for a speech-generating communication device.
Medicare pays $49.36–$54.47 for 92608 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 92608 covers
A speech-language pathologist uses this service when evaluating a patient for a speech-generating device, such as an augmentative and alternative communication system. The assessment may address communication needs, the patient’s ability to access and operate a device, and which device features or options may support communication. It is used for the additional evaluation time after the initial hour, not for ongoing training or treatment in using a device.
Report 92608 with 92607, the primary code for the initial hour of speech-generating device evaluation. Document the assessment, the clinical basis for device recommendations, and the time supporting each additional 30-minute increment. CMS treats 92608 as an add-on code and pays it within the primary procedure’s global period. The professional component modifier does not apply to this therapy 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 92608 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $49.36 | Unavailable |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $54.47 | Unavailable |
How the 92608 rate is calculated
Each of 92608’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 · 92608
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.70
0.70 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.73
0.73 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.4300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$47.76
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92608
The CMS indicators that decide how 92608 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 92608
Speech device evaluation
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| 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 | 7 | Therapy service: the split doesn’t apply. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier CQ · payment effect
With and without the modifier
92608 without CQ · national office
$47.76
Speech device evaluation
92608-CQ · Allowed amount unchanged
$47.76
Medicare cuts its own payment by 15% after the patient’s 20% coinsurance; the allowed amount stays the same. On $100 allowed: $20 coinsurance, then Medicare pays $68 instead of $80.
92608 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 92607AAC evaluation
- Use 92607 for the initial hour of speech-generating device evaluation. Use 92608 only for additional evaluation time and report it with 92607.
- 92618Ex for nonspeech dev rx add
- 92618 represents additional evaluation time for a nonspeech-generating device. 92608 is for additional evaluation time when the device being considered generates speech.
- 92609Speech device therapy
- 92609 describes services involving use of a speech-generating device. 92608 is for additional time evaluating the patient for a device prescription.
92608 billing questions
When should 92608 be reported instead of 92607?
92607 covers the initial hour of a speech-generating device evaluation. Report 92608 for each additional 30 minutes of evaluation time, with 92607 as the primary code.
Can 92608 be billed by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with 92607.
What documentation supports an additional unit?
Record the evaluation activities, findings relevant to the speech-generating device recommendation, and the time supporting each additional 30-minute increment.
Is modifier 26 appropriate for 92608?
No. CMS identifies this as a therapy service for which the professional component modifier does not apply.
How does 92608 differ from 92618?
92608 covers additional time evaluating a patient for a speech-generating device. 92618 is the corresponding additional-time code for evaluation of a nonspeech-generating device.
Does 92608 describe device-use training?
No. It covers additional evaluation time for a speech-generating device prescription; 92609 describes services for use of a speech-generating device.
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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