Billing code 92971: Cardiac assistMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports external counterpulsation therapy using synchronized pressure cuffs to support circulation, commonly for patients with persistent angina symptoms.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 92971 in Washington.
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 92971 covers
This service covers external counterpulsation, commonly delivered with pressure cuffs around the legs that inflate and deflate in coordination with the heartbeat. The timed pressure changes support circulation without an internal assist device. It is typically provided in an outpatient setting by trained staff under physician supervision for patients receiving a course of external counterpulsation therapy, often for persistent angina symptoms.
Report the service for the external assist treatment, not separately for each cuff or leg. Documentation should identify the treatment provided and support the use of external circulatory assistance. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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 92971 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $85.84 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $91.53 |
How the 92971 rate is calculated
Each of 92971’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 · 92971
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
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Work 1.73Practice expense 0.48Malpractice 0.41
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 92971
The CMS indicators that decide how 92971 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 92971
Cardiac assist
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| 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 | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
92971 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
92971 vs 92970 vs 92953 vs 92960: national Medicare rates
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How to choose
- 92970Cardioassist
- Use 92971 for external counterpulsation with cuffs; 92970 describes internal circulatory assistance, such as an intra-aortic balloon pump.
- 92953External pacing
- 92953 is for temporary external pacing to manage a rhythm problem; 92971 provides external circulatory assistance.
- 92960Cardioversion
- 92960 reports external electrical cardioversion for an arrhythmia, not synchronized cuff-based circulatory support.
92971 billing questions
How is this different from 92970?
92971 describes external counterpulsation, typically using cuffs on the legs. 92970 is for internal circulatory assistance, such as an intra-aortic balloon pump.
Should modifier 50 be reported?
No. Bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service.
Are the cuffs or individual legs billed separately?
No. The service is the external counterpulsation treatment; the cuffs and treated legs are not separate units.
Is same-day evaluation or follow-up separately included?
The code has a 0-day global period, which includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
Can an assistant, co-surgeon, or surgical team be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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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