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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesAudiologic Function TestsCPT cpt-92553-pure-tone-audiometry-air-and-bone-conduction
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    CPT 92553: Diagnostic Audiometry with Air and Bone Conduction Testing

    Medicare pays $51 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 92553 describes comprehensive audiometry in which the provider presents a series of tones at varying intensities to identify the softest level the patient can hear (air conduction) and also places a vibrating device on the mastoid to assess bone conduction; service type: diagnostic pure tone audiometry with speech and bone conduction components; typical site of service: audiology clinic, ENT clinic, or outpatient diagnostic testing area.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Travoprost Intracameral Implant, Ophthalmology - Pilocarpine 1.25%, Cataract Removal Surgery for Adults.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 62-year-old patient presents to an outpatient audiology clinic with progressive difficulty hearing conversational speech and trouble hearing on the telephone over the past year. The provider reviews the history, performs otoscopic inspection to exclude cerumen impaction and middle ear effusion, and documents reported asymmetric hearing and tinnitus. The patient is escorted to a sound-treated audiometric booth. The audiologist instructs the patient and performs air-conduction pure tone testing using calibrated headphones to determine the softest intensity level at which the patient can detect tones across frequencies (pure tone audiometry). The provider also places a bone oscillator over the mastoid to perform bone-conduction testing to differentiate sensorineural from conductive components. Results are recorded as air and bone thresholds and used to compute air-bone gaps, degree, and configuration of hearing loss. Typical workflow includes pretest counseling, otoscopy, pure tone air- and bone-conduction testing (92553), speech reception threshold and word recognition testing as indicated, and documentation of findings in the medical record. Typical sites of service are outpatient audiology clinics, ENT (otolaryngology) offices, or hospital outpatient departments. The service type is diagnostic audiometry with pure tone air and bone-conduction thresholds to assess presence, type, and degree of hearing loss.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    92557Comprehensive audiometry threshold evaluation, air and bone, including speech recognitionOften performed in the same visit; provides speech testing and is complementary to pure tone air/bone thresholds obtained with 92553
    92556Speech audiometry threshold and speech recognition score (SRT and WR)Frequently performed alongside 92553 to assess functional speech understanding after thresholds are obtained
    92552Pure tone audiometry (threshold testing), air only, for each earMay be performed when only air-conduction testing is needed; 92553 includes both air and bone and is used when bone conduction is required
    92555Short increment sensitivity index (SISI) testing or other specialized testsPerformed as adjunctive tests when further diagnostic differentiation of cochlear vs retrocochlear pathology is needed
    92626Evaluation of auditory rehabilitation status; first hourMay follow diagnostic testing when fitting or assessing hearing aid performance and rehabilitation needs

    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…
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…
    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…
    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
    207K00000X
    208D00000X
    2080P0207X
    207ZP0213X
    246ZB0302X
    103TF0000X
    2080P0208X
    2086H0002X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    18 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    G43.909Migraine, unspecified, not intractable, without status migrainosus
    H90.0Conductive hearing loss, bilateral
    H90.11Conductive hearing loss, unilateral, right ear, with unrestricted hearing on the contralateral side
    H90.12Conductive hearing loss, unilateral, left ear, with unrestricted hearing on the contralateral side
    H90.3Sensorineural hearing loss, bilateral
    H90.41Sensorineural hearing loss, unilateral, right ear, with unrestricted hearing on the contralateral side
    H90.42Sensorineural hearing loss, unilateral, left ear, with unrestricted hearing on the contralateral side
    H90.5Unspecified sensorineural hearing loss
    H90.6Mixed conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, bilateral
    H90.8Mixed conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, unspecified

    Showing 1–10 of 18

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Ophthalmology/Optometry1 / 2

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Travoprost Intracameral ImplantBluecross Idaho2026-11-01
    Ophthalmology - Pilocarpine 1.25%Cigna2026-10-15
    Cataract Removal Surgery for AdultsAnthem2026-10-01
    Brow Ptosis and Eyelid Repair (for Kentucky Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Cataract Removal Surgery for AdultsAnthem2026-10-01
    Brow Ptosis and Eyelid Repair (for New Mexico Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Brow Ptosis and Eyelid Repair (for Ohio Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Brow Ptosis and Eyelid Repair (for Idaho Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Glaucoma Surgical Treatments (for North Carolina Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    Brow Ptosis and Eyelid Repair (for Kansas Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-10-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-92550-TYMPANOMETRY-AND-ACOUSTIC-REFLEX-TESTING

    CPT 92550: Tympanometry and Acoustic Reflex Threshold Measurement

    CPT-92551-HEARING-SCREENING-LIMITED-TONES

    CPT 92551: Limited Hearing Screening with Tones or Sounds

    CPT-92552-PURE-TONE-AUDIOMETRY-THRESHOLD-ASSESSMENT

    CPT 92552: Pure-Tone Audiometry Threshold Detection

    CPT-92555-SPEECH-RECEPTION-AWARENESS-THRESHOLD

    CPT 92555: Speech Reception/Awareness Threshold Measurement

    CPT-92556-SPEECH-RECOGNITION-HEARING-ASSESSMENT

    CPT 92556: Word Recognition and Repetition Hearing Assessment

    CPT-92557-DIAGNOSTIC-AUDIOLOGIC-EVALUATION-PURE-TONE-AND-SPEECH-RECOGNITION

    CPT 92557: Audiometry with Speech Recognition

    CPT-92558-NEWBORN-INFANT-OTOACOUSTIC-EMISSIONS-HEARING-SCREEN

    CPT 92558: Otoacoustic Emissions Newborn Hearing Screening

    CPT-92562-ALTERNATE-BINAURAL-PURE-TONE-AUDIOMETRY

    CPT 92562: Binaural Tone Audiometry, Alternating

    CPT-92563-AUDITORY-NERVE-TRANSMISSION-TIMING-ASSESSMENT

    CPT 92563: Auditory Brainstem Response Test for Hearing Transmission

    CPT-92565-BINAURAL-TONE-COMPARISON-UNILATERAL-HEARING-LOSS

    CPT 92565: Binaural Simultaneous-Tone Test for Unilateral Hearing Loss

    Showing 1–10 of 27

    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.
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