32606 Thoracoscopy w/bx med space
What 32606 is
CMS fee schedule short descriptor: Thoracoscopy w/bx med space.
Full CPT long descriptions are licensed by the American Medical Association and are not published on this site; the short descriptor above is the one CMS prints in its own fee schedule file. See About CPT.
Medicare payment for 32606 (CY2026)
| Work RVU | Practice expense RVU | Malpractice RVU | Total | Medicare rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-facility (office) | 8.18 | 2.60 | 2.05 | 12.83 | $428.53 |
| Facility (hospital, ASC) | 8.18 | 2.60 | 2.05 | 12.83 | $428.53 |
National rates: total RVUs x the CY2026 conversion factor of 33.4009 (non-QP), before geographic adjustment. Actual Medicare payment is 80% of the rate shown after the deductible; the patient or secondary payer owes the 20% coinsurance.
Status: Active - payable under the Physician Fee Schedule. Global period: Global concept does not apply (endoscopic or minor procedure: global period is the day of the procedure).
Medically Unlikely Edit (MUE)
Medicare caps 32606 at 1 unit per date of service for practitioner claims (MAI 3 - date of service edit (clinical): units above the MUE may pay with documentation on appeal), rationale: Nature of Service/Procedure. Units above the cap are denied unless the edit's adjudication rules allow an appeal with documentation.
Billed with 32606? These codes are bundled into it
32606 is a Column 1 code in 240 active NCCI PTP edits. When one of these Column 2 codes is reported on the same date of service, it is denied as bundled - unless the edit's modifier indicator is 1 and documentation supports a distinct service with an NCCI-associated modifier.
| Column 2 code | Short description | Modifier indicator | |
|---|---|---|---|
00528 | Anes clsd ch mediast&thrc wo | 0 - no modifier bypass | Check pair |
00529 | Anes clsd ch mediast&thrc w/ | 0 - no modifier bypass | Check pair |
00539 | Anes tracheobronchial rcnstj | 0 - no modifier bypass | Check pair |
00540 | Anes thoracotomy px nos | 0 - no modifier bypass | Check pair |
00541 | Anes thrcm px 1 lung vntj | 0 - no modifier bypass | Check pair |
0213T | Njx paravert w/us cer/thor | 0 - no modifier bypass | Check pair |
0216T | Njx paravert w/us lumb/sac | 0 - no modifier bypass | Check pair |
0596T | Temp fml iu vlv-pmp 1st insj | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
0597T | Temp fml iu valve-pmp rplcmt | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
0708T | Id ca immntx prep & 1st njx | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
0709T | Id ca immntx each addl njx | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
0903T | Ecg alg 12 lead reduced i&r | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
0904T | Ecg alg 12 ld rdcd trcg only | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
0905T | Ecg alg 12 ld rdcd i&r only | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
10005 | Fna bx w/us gdn 1st les | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
10007 | Fna bx w/fluor gdn 1st les | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
10009 | Fna bx w/ct gdn 1st les | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
10011 | Fna bx w/mr gdn 1st les | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
10021 | Fna bx w/o img gdn 1st les | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12001 | Rpr s/n/ax/gen/trnk 2.5cm/< | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12002 | Rpr s/n/ax/gen/trnk2.6-7.5cm | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12004 | Rpr s/n/ax/gen/trk7.6-12.5cm | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12005 | Rpr s/n/a/gen/trk12.6-20.0cm | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12006 | Rpr s/n/a/gen/trk20.1-30.0cm | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12007 | Rpr s/n/ax/gen/trnk >30.0 cm | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12011 | Rpr f/e/e/n/l/m 2.5 cm/< | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12013 | Rpr f/e/e/n/l/m 2.6-5.0 cm | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12014 | Rpr f/e/e/n/l/m 5.1-7.5 cm | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12015 | Rpr f/e/e/n/l/m 7.6-12.5 cm | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
12016 | Rpr fe/e/en/l/m 12.6-20.0 cm | 1 - modifier may bypass | Check pair |
Showing 30 of 240 column 2 codes. Use the pair checker for any specific combination.
32606 is bundled into these codes
32606 appears as a Column 2 code in 38 active edits. Reported with one of these Column 1 codes on the same date of service, 32606 is the code that denies.
| Column 1 code | Short description | Modifier indicator | |
|---|---|---|---|
21742 | Repair stern/nuss w/o scope | 1 | Check pair |
21743 | Repair sternum/nuss w/scope | 1 | Check pair |
32604 | Thoracoscopy wbx sac | 0 | Check pair |
32650 | Thoracoscopy w/pleurodesis | 0 | Check pair |
32651 | Thoracoscopy remove cortex | 0 | Check pair |
32652 | Thoracoscopy rem totl cortex | 0 | Check pair |
32653 | Thoracoscopy remov fb/fibrin | 0 | Check pair |
32654 | Thoracoscopy contrl bleeding | 0 | Check pair |
32655 | Thoracoscopy resect bullae | 0 | Check pair |
32656 | Thoracoscopy w/pleurectomy | 0 | Check pair |
32658 | Thoracoscopy w/sac fb remove | 0 | Check pair |
32659 | Thoracoscopy w/sac drainage | 0 | Check pair |
32661 | Thoracoscopy w/pericard exc | 0 | Check pair |
32662 | Thoracoscopy w/mediast exc | 0 | Check pair |
32663 | Thoracoscopy w/lobectomy | 0 | Check pair |
Data: CMS CY2026 Physician Fee Schedule RVU file (October release, RVU26D) and Medicare NCCI PTP practitioner edits v32.3 (2026 Q4). Verify against the official files before billing or contracting decisions.