Osteopathic manipulative treatment performed by a physician (usually a DO) across 9 to 10 separate body regions during a single encounter, based on documented somatic dysfunction in each region.
- Medicare
- $85.84
- Work RVU
- 1.42
- Global, days
- 0
- Region
- Multi-region
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓
- Each of the 9 to 10 body regions treated, named individually (for example cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, pelvic, upper extremity)
- Somatic dysfunction findings per region: tissue texture change, asymmetry, restricted motion, or tenderness
- Technique used in each region, such as muscle energy, counterstrain, myofascial release, or HVLA
- Patient tolerance and response after treatment
- Somatic dysfunction ICD-10 codes (M99.0x) that match each treated region
- If an E/M is billed the same day, a separate history, exam, and decision-making section beyond the pre-manipulation assessment
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 3 cited references ↓
98929 reports osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) when the physician treats 9 or 10 body regions in one visit. The ten recognized regions are head, cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, pelvic, lower extremities, upper extremities, rib cage, and abdomen/viscera. Count regions treated, not techniques used. Three techniques on the lumbar spine is still one region.
This is the top of the OMT range. Treating nine or ten regions means nearly every region on the list, which a payer will only accept when the exam documents dysfunction in each one. In ortho practices it shows up rarely, mostly with DOs who treat complex multi-trauma or diffuse chronic pain patients.
As with the rest of the series, the pre-treatment assessment is bundled. A same-day E/M needs modifier 25 and a separate problem the note actually works up. The 0-day global means no postop days attach to the code.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
Work RVU vs. total RVU
The work RVU (1.42) is the surgeon's own effort — the figure physician pay and productivity targets are built on. The total RVU (2.57) adds practice overhead and malpractice, and is what drives the Medicare payment below.
| Work RVU | 1.42 |
| Practice expense RVU | 1.08 |
| Malpractice RVU | 0.07 |
| Total RVU | 2.57 |
| Medicare national rate | $85.84 |
| Global period | 0 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 | $85.84 |
HOPD (APC 5811) Hospital outpatient department | $22.06 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 98929 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Region count in the note does not support the code level billed
- M99.0x somatic dysfunction codes missing or not matching the treated regions
- E/M billed same day without modifier 25 or without separately documented work
- Rendering provider is not credentialed for OMT under that payer contract
- Payer visit limits for manual therapy already reached for the benefit year
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01What does CPT 98929 mean?
02What are the ten OMT body regions?
03How do I avoid denials on 98929?
04Can 98929 be billed with a joint injection the same day?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
Mira Scribe
Mira Scribe lists each treated region with its findings and technique, so the note clearly supports 9 to 10 regions. When the visit also covers a separate problem, that work lands in its own section to back up modifier 25.
See how Mira captures CPT 98929 documentation