Find policies, billing codes, payers, states, and providers

CPT 77600: Superficial Hyperthermia, Tissue Depth up to 4 cm

CPT code 77600 denotes a superficial hyperthermia procedure in which tissue near the surface of a body site is exposed to heat up to 113°F, limited to a penetration depth of 4 cm. This code captures a specific therapeutic modality used in oncology and other specialties to augment local treatment by raising tissue temperature in a controlled fashion. Nationally, accurate coding of this service matters for clinical documentation, appropriate billing, and tracking utilization of specialized thermal therapies.

Key payers included in the analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context, common sites of service, and typical service descriptors for CPT code 77600.

This publication will summarize available benchmarks and common billing practice considerations, outline clinical indications tied to superficial hyperthermia, and note where input data is not available. The content is designed for revenue cycle leaders, billing professionals, and clinicians seeking a clear, national-level reference on how CPT code 77600 is described, where it is typically performed, and which major payers commonly cover related services.

Customize your policy alerts

Sign up for cpt 77600 policy alerts

Get alerted when payer policies referencing 77600 are released or updated.

Monitor payer policy activity

Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 77600 describes a superficial hyperthermia procedure in which the provider exposes tissue near the surface of a body site to elevated temperatures up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, with a maximum depth of 4 cm. The procedure is used to deliver controlled heat to targeted superficial tissues as part of therapeutic treatment.

Service type: Therapeutic hyperthermia (superficial)

Typical site of service: Outpatient clinic, outpatient hospital department, or ambulatory surgical setting where superficial thermal therapies are provided

Find policies, billing codes, payers, states, and providers

CPT 77600: Superficial Hyperthermia, Tissue Depth up to 4 cm

Customize your policy alerts

Sign up for cpt 77600 policy alerts

Get alerted when payer policies referencing 77600 are released or updated.

Monitor payer policy activity

Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

Billing Code Overview

Service type: Therapeutic hyperthermia (superficial)

Typical site of service: Outpatient clinic, outpatient hospital department, or ambulatory surgical setting where superficial thermal therapies are provided

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is an adult with a superficial soft-tissue or cutaneous malignancy or a localized recurrent tumor near the skin surface referred for adjunctive regional hyperthermia. The patient presents to an outpatient oncology infusion suite or hospital-based radiation oncology department. The clinical workflow begins with a consult by a radiation oncologist or medical oncologist who documents the indication, tumor location, prior treatments (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy), and informed consent for hyperthermia. A pre-procedure assessment includes focused skin and lesion examination, review of implanted devices, and vital signs. On the day of service, nursing prepares the treatment area; the provider positions the hyperthermia applicator over the lesion, confirms surface depth (no deeper than 4 cm), and gradually raises regional tissue temperature up to approximately 113°F while monitoring patient comfort and skin integrity. Continuous temperature monitoring and cardiac/respiratory observation occur throughout the session. Sessions are typically repeated per protocol (multiple fractions over weeks) and combined with radiation therapy or chemotherapy as clinically indicated. Documentation includes diagnosis, treatment site, duration, measured temperatures, patient tolerance, and any complications. Typical site of service is an outpatient oncology clinic, radiation therapy suite, ambulatory surgical center, or hospital outpatient department. Providers commonly involved are radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and specially trained proceduralists or technologists under physician supervision.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`11`	Primary procedure	Use when `77600` is the primary service on the claim for that date of service
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when the hyperthermia procedure requires substantially greater work than typical (extensive additional monitoring or prolonged duration) and documentation supports the increased work
`23`	Unusual anesthesia	Use when provision of otherwise unnecessary anesthesia/anxiolysis is required for `77600` and documented
`26`	Professional component	Use when billing only the physician’s professional component separate from technical equipment/facility charges
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the hyperthermia session was intentionally reduced or discontinued and documentation supports reduced service
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the procedure was started but terminated due to patient instability or other uncontrollable events
`56`	Preoperative or postoperative management only	Use if only pre- or post-procedure management is billed and the actual hyperthermia was performed by another provider/institution
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons share responsibility for a complex procedure related to the same operative session involving hyperthermia application
`78`	Return to OR for a related procedure following initial procedure	Use when the patient returns to the operating room for a related procedure following initial operative care involving hyperthermia
`80`	Assistant surgeon	Use when an assistant surgeon is reported for the procedural session
`QX`	Modifier for assistant-at-surgery (skill-qualified)	Use when an assistant-at-surgery who meets the necessary qualification performs assistance during the procedure
`QY`	Attending provider in teaching setting	Use when the teaching physician is present and performs key portions of the procedure during a residency/fellowship encounter
`TC`	Technical component	Use when billing only the facility/technical component (equipment, supplies, technologist time) separate from the professional component
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the hyperthermia session is shortened or scope reduced (listed to satisfy 10–15 modifier limit)

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RX0200X	Radiation Oncology	Primary specialty performing regional hyperthermia in combination with radiation therapy
207RG0300X	Medical Oncology	Oversees combined modality care and systemic therapy coordination
2085P0200X	General Surgery	May perform hyperthermia in the operative or perioperative setting for superficial tumors
261QM0800X	Certified Clinical Hyperthermia Technologist	Technologists trained in hyperthermia device application and monitoring
1835S0205X	Pain Medicine / Palliative Care	May use superficial hyperthermia for palliative tumor control and symptom relief

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
Data not available in the input.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`77295`	Radiation treatment delivery, complex or specialized; per course (example code for complex treatments)	Often paired when hyperthermia is used as an adjunct to external beam radiation; documents the radiation delivery component
`77336`	Continuing medical physics consultation, patient-specific quality assurance for IMRT/VMAT/other complex therapy	Used when complex planning or quality assurance is required in combined hyperthermia and radiation regimens
`77427`	Radiation treatment management, per week	Billed by the radiation oncologist for weekly treatment management during combined modality therapy including hyperthermia sessions
`97010`	Application of a modality to one or more areas; hot or cold packs	May be reported for simple superficial thermal modalities when appropriate and distinct from `77600` (ensure no unbundling)
`99070`	Supplies and materials (e.g., devices, implants) provided by physician	Used when special disposables or applicators for hyperthermia are furnished by the provider and eligible for separate billing

Related Codes

CPT-77605-DEEP-THERAPEUTIC-HYPERTHERMIA

CPT 77605: Deep Therapeutic Hyperthermia

CPT-77610-INTRATUMORAL-HYPERTHERMIA-PROBE-INSERTION

CPT 77610: Intratumoral Hyperthermia Probe or Needle Insertion

CPT-77615-INVASIVE-TUMOR-DIRECTED-HYPERTHERMIA-MULTIPLE-PROBES

CPT 77615: Invasive Tumor-Directed Hyperthermia with Multiple Probes

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`11`	Primary procedure	Use when `77600` is the primary service on the claim for that date of service
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when the hyperthermia procedure requires substantially greater work than typical (extensive additional monitoring or prolonged duration) and documentation supports the increased work
`23`	Unusual anesthesia	Use when provision of otherwise unnecessary anesthesia/anxiolysis is required for `77600` and documented
`26`	Professional component	Use when billing only the physician’s professional component separate from technical equipment/facility charges
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the hyperthermia session was intentionally reduced or discontinued and documentation supports reduced service
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use when the procedure was started but terminated due to patient instability or other uncontrollable events
`56`	Preoperative or postoperative management only	Use if only pre- or post-procedure management is billed and the actual hyperthermia was performed by another provider/institution
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons share responsibility for a complex procedure related to the same operative session involving hyperthermia application
`78`	Return to OR for a related procedure following initial procedure	Use when the patient returns to the operating room for a related procedure following initial operative care involving hyperthermia
`80`	Assistant surgeon	Use when an assistant surgeon is reported for the procedural session
`QX`	Modifier for assistant-at-surgery (skill-qualified)	Use when an assistant-at-surgery who meets the necessary qualification performs assistance during the procedure
`QY`	Attending provider in teaching setting	Use when the teaching physician is present and performs key portions of the procedure during a residency/fellowship encounter
`TC`	Technical component	Use when billing only the facility/technical component (equipment, supplies, technologist time) separate from the professional component
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the hyperthermia session is shortened or scope reduced (listed to satisfy 10–15 modifier limit)

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RX0200X	Radiation Oncology	Primary specialty performing regional hyperthermia in combination with radiation therapy
207RG0300X	Medical Oncology	Oversees combined modality care and systemic therapy coordination
2085P0200X	General Surgery	May perform hyperthermia in the operative or perioperative setting for superficial tumors
261QM0800X	Certified Clinical Hyperthermia Technologist	Technologists trained in hyperthermia device application and monitoring
1835S0205X	Pain Medicine / Palliative Care	May use superficial hyperthermia for palliative tumor control and symptom relief

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
Data not available in the input.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`77295`	Radiation treatment delivery, complex or specialized; per course (example code for complex treatments)	Often paired when hyperthermia is used as an adjunct to external beam radiation; documents the radiation delivery component
`77336`	Continuing medical physics consultation, patient-specific quality assurance for IMRT/VMAT/other complex therapy	Used when complex planning or quality assurance is required in combined hyperthermia and radiation regimens
`77427`	Radiation treatment management, per week	Billed by the radiation oncologist for weekly treatment management during combined modality therapy including hyperthermia sessions
`97010`	Application of a modality to one or more areas; hot or cold packs	May be reported for simple superficial thermal modalities when appropriate and distinct from `77600` (ensure no unbundling)
`99070`	Supplies and materials (e.g., devices, implants) provided by physician	Used when special disposables or applicators for hyperthermia are furnished by the provider and eligible for separate billing

Related Codes

CPT-77605-DEEP-THERAPEUTIC-HYPERTHERMIA

CPT 77605: Deep Therapeutic Hyperthermia

CPT-77610-INTRATUMORAL-HYPERTHERMIA-PROBE-INSERTION

CPT 77610: Intratumoral Hyperthermia Probe or Needle Insertion

CPT-77615-INVASIVE-TUMOR-DIRECTED-HYPERTHERMIA-MULTIPLE-PROBES

CPT 77615: Invasive Tumor-Directed Hyperthermia with Multiple Probes

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Jul 29, 2026.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

OpenPayer

CPT 77600: Superficial Hyperthermia, Tissue Depth up to 4 cm

Sign up for cpt 77600 policy alerts

Billing Code Overview

Catch payer policy changes before they impact reimbursement

Catch payer policy changes before they impact reimbursement

OpenPayer

CPT 77600: Superficial Hyperthermia, Tissue Depth up to 4 cm

Sign up for cpt 77600 policy alerts

Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References