Loading...

    Explore
    • Policy Monitoring
    • Live Policy Feed
    • Billing Codes
    • NPI Medicare & Medicaid
    • Healthcare Providers
    • Health Insurance Payers
    • States
    • Service Lines
    • Taxonomy Codes
    Lookup tools
    • Billing Code Lookup
    • CPT Modifier Lookup
    • Provider Taxonomy Code Lookup
    • Healthcare Provider & Facility Lookup
    • Health Insurance Payer Lookup
    • Payer Contact Directory

    Policy & Benchmark Tools

    • Prior Authorization Lookup
    • Coverage Criteria Lookup
    • Timely Filing Lookup
    • Billing Code Reimbursement Rates
    • Payer Comparison Dashboard
    • Facility Comparison Dashboard
    • All tools

    Company

    • About OpenPayer
    • Data Sources
    • Trek Health
    OpenPayerby Trek Health
    LinkedInYouTube

    © 2026 Trek Health. All rights reserved.

    OpenPayer is built and maintained by Trek Health.

    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesVestibular Function Tests, With Recording (eg, ENG)CPT cpt-92538-caloric-vestibular-test-monothermal
    Ask Trek AI about this page

    CPT 92538: Caloric Vestibular Test (Monothermal)

    Medicare pays $15 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 92538 describes a caloric vestibular test (monothermal) in which each ear is sequentially irrigated with warm or cool water while the patient’s eye movements are observed to assess vestibular function and related cranial nerve activity; this is a qualitative vestibular function test typically performed in an audiology clinic, otolaryngology (ENT) office, or balance/vestibular laboratory and is used to document unilateral or bilateral vestibular disturbance.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Clinical Review Criteria Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM), Remote Electrical Neuromodulation for Migraines (i.e., Nerivio®), Lumbar Microdiscectomy.

    Customize your policy alerts

    Sign up for cpt 92538 policy alerts

    Get alerted when payer policies referencing 92538 are released or updated.

    Monitor payer policy activity

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

    Table of contents

    Progress1 / 7

    Explore openpayer tools

    • Billing CodesCPT, HCPCS, DRG & more
    • Reimbursement RatesCommercial vs. Medicare rate reports
    • Facility ComparisonBeds, revenue & payer mix
    • ProvidersHospitals & facilities
    • PayersPlans & market footprint
    • Taxonomy CodesNUCC specialty codes
    • ModifiersCPT modifiers & usage
    • Prior AuthorizationPA policies by payer & drug
    • Timely FilingFiling deadlines by payer
    • Coverage CriteriaMedical necessity by payer
    • Payer ContactsClaims, PA & appeals contacts
    View all tools

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient is an adult presenting to an otolaryngology or neurotology clinic with episodic vertigo, imbalance, or new-onset unilateral hearing loss. The clinician documents a history of rotational vertigo lasting seconds to hours, associated nausea and nystagmus on bedside examination. The provider orders a caloric vestibular test to assess horizontal semicircular canal function and peripheral vestibular asymmetry.

    The clinical workflow: the patient arrives at the outpatient diagnostic vestibular laboratory or ambulatory clinic. A technologist reviews contraindications (recent ear surgery, tympanic membrane perforation, active otitis externa), obtains consent, and positions the patient supine with head elevated 30 degrees to align the horizontal canals. The technologist irrigates each ear sequentially with either warm or cool water (monothermal protocol), monitors and records eye movements with infrared video-oculography or electronystagmography, and documents latency, direction, and amplitude of nystagmus. The otolaryngologist or neurotologist interprets the findings and correlates results with history and other vestibular tests to guide diagnosis and management.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    92538Caloric vestibular test, qualitative; performed with water irrigation (monothermal)Primary procedure described; assesses unilateral vestibular hypofunction using sequential ear irrigations
    92540Caloric vestibular test, bilateral, noncontinuous; with recordingOften performed in a bilateral caloric battery when quantitative bilateral testing is required; may be ordered after an abnormal monothermal screen
    92542Caloric vestibular test, monothermal, recordingUsed when video or electronystagmography recordings are required for quantitative analysis
    92557Comprehensive vestibular function testing, including positional testing and caloricsRepresents a broader vestibular test battery that may include the caloric test as one component
    92550Screening test, pure tone, air onlyMay be performed adjunctively to evaluate concurrent hearing loss

    Related Modifiers

    7 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    2080P0206X
    261QA0006X
    207XX0005X
    364SE1400X
    2278P3900X
    2278E0002X
    3104A0625X
    207LP4000X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    16 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    G43.909Migraine, unspecified, not intractable, without status migrainosus
    G50.1Atypical facial pain
    H81.10Benign paroxysmal vertigo, unspecified ear
    H81.11Benign paroxysmal vertigo, right ear
    H81.12Benign paroxysmal vertigo, left ear
    H81.13Benign paroxysmal vertigo, bilateral
    H81.20Vestibular neuronitis, unspecified ear
    H81.21Vestibular neuronitis, right ear
    H81.22Vestibular neuronitis, left ear
    H81.23Vestibular neuronitis, bilateral

    Showing 1–10 of 16

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Neurology/Neurosurgery1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Clinical Review Criteria Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM)Kaiser Permanente2027-01-01
    Remote Electrical Neuromodulation for Migraines (i.e., Nerivio®)bcbsvermont2026-11-01
    Lumbar Microdiscectomyuniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Artificial Cervical Intervertebral Discuniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Lumbar Decompressionuniverahealthcare2026-10-15
    Responsive Neurostimulation for Focal EpilepsyPremera Bluecross2026-10-14
    Intraoperative MonitoringProvidence Health Plan2026-10-01
    Intraoperative MonitoringProvidence Health Plan2026-10-01
    High-Intensity Focused UltrasoundMass General Brigham Health Plan2026-10-01
    Vagal Nerve StimulationAmbetter Nevada2026-10-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-92537-CALORIC-VESTIBULAR-TEST

    CPT 92537: Caloric Vestibular Test (Irrigation with Warm and Cold Water)

    CPT-92540-VESTIBULAR-BALANCE-TESTING-FOUR-TESTS-WITH-RECORDING

    CPT 92540: Complete Vestibular/Balance Testing with Recording

    CPT-92541-ELECTRONYSTAGMOGRAPHY-VIDEONYSTAGMOGRAPHY-EYE-MOVEMENTS

    CPT 92541: Electronystagmography/Videonystagmography Recording of Ocular Movements

    CPT-92542-POSITIONAL-NYSTAGMUS-ELECTRONYSTAGMOGRAPHY

    CPT 92542: Electronystagmography/Videonystagmography Recording of Eye Movements

    CPT-92544-OCULAR-MOTILITY-EYE-MOVEMENT-TESTING

    CPT 92544: Oculomotor Function Evaluation (Eye Movement Testing)

    CPT-92545-VESTIBULAR-VISUAL-TRACKING-ASSESSMENT

    CPT 92545: Visual Fixation Assessment during Balance Evaluation

    CPT-92546-VESTIBULAR-FUNCTION-SINUSOIDAL-ROTATION-TESTING

    CPT 92546: Vestibular Testing with Sinusoidal Vertical-Axis Rotation

    CPT-92547-VESTIBULAR-FUNCTION-TEST-VERTICAL-ELECTRODE-NYSTAGMUS

    CPT 92547: Vestibular Test with Vertical Electrodes for Nystagmus Assessment

    CPT-92548-COMPUTERIZED-DYNAMIC-POSTUROGRAPHY-SENSORY-TESTING

    CPT 92548: Computerized Dynamic Posturography Sensory Organization Testing

    CPT-92549-COMPUTERIZED-DYNAMIC-POSTUROGRAPHY-BALANCE-TESTING

    CPT 92549: Computerized Dynamic Posturography Sensory Organization Test

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
    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.