Imaging · General

Radiological supervision and interpretation for percutaneous drainage of an abscess or fluid collection using fluoroscopy, ultrasound, or CT guidance, with catheter placement.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 8 sources ↓

Medicare: $112.56
Total RVUs: 3.37
Global, days
Region: General

Drawn from MdclarityAAPCRacmonitorBraccoreimbursementTsaco

Documentation requirements

What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 8 cited references ↓

Specify the imaging modality used for guidance (fluoroscopy, ultrasound, or CT) — a generic 'imaging guidance' notation is insufficient
Document whether a catheter was left in place at the end of the session or removed — this determines whether 75989 vs. an unlisted code is appropriate
Identify the anatomic location and type of collection drained (abscess, hematoma, seroma, cyst)
Include a formal radiological supervision and interpretation report with findings, technique, and post-procedure status
Confirm the paired surgical procedure code (e.g., 32550) is documented and supports the S&I billing

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

26 Professional component 52 Reduced services 59 Distinct service 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 8 cited references ↓

CPT 75989 is a legacy radiological supervision and interpretation (S&I) code for image-guided percutaneous abscess drainage. Its use is now narrow: under current CPT structure, imaging guidance is bundled into the procedure codes for most drainage scenarios, making 75989 separately reportable only with CPT 32550 (tunneled pleural catheter insertion). Attempting to bill it alongside 10030, 49405, 49406, 49407, 32554, 32555, 32556, 32557, 47490, 33017, 33018, or 33019 will trigger NCCI bundling edits — the guidance is considered included in those procedure codes.

For percutaneous soft-tissue abscess drainage where a catheter is left in place, the correct code is 10030 (or 49405–49407 for visceral/abdominal/pelvic collections), not 75989. If the catheter is removed at session end or a needle-only aspiration is performed, report 10160 or an unlisted code such as 49999 — not 75989. Hospitals billing under OPPS should note that 75989 is packaged and yields no separate payment in that setting.

When 75989 is legitimately billed — paired with 32550 — modifier 26 applies when the radiologist performs professional interpretation only. The TC modifier applies when the facility bills equipment and staff costs separately. Both components are required for global billing.

RVU & reimbursement

Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	1.16
Practice expense RVU	2.12
Malpractice RVU	0.09
Total RVU	3.37
Medicare national rate	$112.56
Global period	days

Payment by site of service

Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.

Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026

Setting	Medicare rate (national)
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office	$112.56

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 75989 get rejected.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓

NCCI bundling edit: 75989 billed alongside 10030, 49405, 49406, or 49407, where guidance is already included in the procedure code
No separately billable paired procedure: 75989 requires a companion surgical code (currently limited to 32550) to be reportable
Facility billing under OPPS: 75989 is packaged and yields no separate payment in the hospital outpatient setting
Missing or inadequate RS&I report: supervision and interpretation must be documented in a formal written report to support the radiology code
Catheter not left in place: if removed at end of session, 75989 does not apply — use 10160 or an unlisted code instead

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 8 cited references ↓

01Can I bill 75989 with 49405, 49406, or 49407 for percutaneous abdominal abscess drainage?

No. Imaging guidance is bundled into 49405–49407. Adding 75989 triggers an NCCI edit and will be denied. Bill only the procedure code.

02When is 75989 still valid to report?

In current practice, 75989 is separately reportable primarily when paired with CPT 32550 (insertion of indwelling tunneled pleural catheter with cuff). The S&I for nearly all other drainage scenarios is bundled into the procedure code.

03Which modifier applies when the radiologist bills professional interpretation only for 75989?

Use modifier 26 for the professional component. The facility bills the technical component separately without a modifier (TC is not in the standard modifier set for physician billing).

04What do I bill if the catheter was placed but removed at the end of the same session?

Do not use 75989 or 10030. Report an aspiration code (10160 if applicable) or an unlisted procedure code such as 49999 for abdominal collections. A catheter not left in place changes the code selection entirely.

05Does 75989 pay separately under OPPS for hospital outpatient billing?

No. Under Medicare's OPPS, 75989 is packaged — the facility receives no separate APC payment. Hospitals should bill the appropriate procedure code (e.g., 49405–49407 or 10030) instead.

06Is 75989 reported per abscess site drained or per imaging modality used?

Per the prevailing interpretation, 75989 is reported once per drainage session regardless of the number of imaging modalities used during a single access. Separate accesses into distinct collections are a separate coding question tied to the paired procedure code, not 75989.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira AI Scribe

Mira's AI scribe captures the imaging modality (fluoroscopy, ultrasound, or CT), catheter placement and disposition (left in place vs. removed at session end), the anatomic site and collection type, and the paired surgical procedure performed. This prevents the most common 75989 denial: billing it alongside a procedure code that already bundles imaging guidance, or submitting without a compliant RS&I report.

See how Mira captures CPT 75989 documentation