Audiology CPT® Codes for 2026 + Modifiers

Stay updated with the latest 2026 audiology CPT codes and modifiers

Read Time: 2 minutes
Jan 7, 2026

Accurate CPT® coding and modifier use are essential for audiologists to ensure proper reimbursement, reduce denials, and stay compliant with payer documentation rules. In 2026, audiology practices should pay special attention to a major update impacting hearing aid and hearing device-related professional services, along with ongoing best practices for vestibular and audiometric testing.

In audiology, denials are typically driven by predictable issues: outdated code use, time-based services without defensible time documentation, vestibular tests billed in overlapping combinations, and modifier selection that doesn’t match what the note actually supports.

Audiology denials usually come from documentation gaps—not “bad luck.”

We see claims denied for continued use of deleted codes, time-based device services without total time, vestibular test overlap that triggers bundling edits, and modifier use that isn’t clearly supported in the record.

Guarantee: We’ll identify the top denial drivers in your audiology claims and give you a clear fix plan your team can implement immediately.

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Major Audiology CPT® Updates for 2026

Critical update: Effective January 1, 2026, the legacy hearing aid/hearing device service codes 92590–92595 have been deleted and replaced by a new set of 12 CPT® codes (92628–92642) that more specifically describe hearing device professional services, including time-based reporting for certain components of care.

These changes apply to CPT® professional service reporting and do not replace HCPCS “V” codes used for hearing aid devices when applicable. Payer adoption and coverage policies may vary, so it is important to confirm plan requirements when implementing the new code set.

If your templates still include 92590–92595, payers will reject the claim.

Invalid-code rejections are avoidable, but they still disrupt cash flow and create rework. The transition to 92628–92642 is a workflow change, not just a coding change.

Guarantee: We’ll pinpoint where deleted codes or outdated device-service workflows are creating denials and give you a transition plan that sticks.

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Hearing Device Professional Service Codes for 2026 (New)

The following codes describe professional services related to hearing device care. Several of these codes are time-based and require documentation that supports the time and work performed (for example: candidacy evaluation, device selection, fitting, follow-up, and verification).

92628–92632 – Evaluation services and hearing device selection (time-based options included)
92634–92637 – Hearing device fitting and post-fitting follow-up services
92638–92639 – Electroacoustic analysis/verification services
92641–92642 – Additional verification and/or related device service components

Documentation Tip for the New 2026 Hearing Device Codes

Tip: For time-based hearing device services, document what was performed (candidacy, selection, fitting, verification), total time, and any key clinical findings that support medical necessity and the level of service.

Time-based services are especially vulnerable to denial when the note does not clearly support:

What work was performed during the billed time
Total time (and, when applicable, how time was measured)
Clinical reasoning and findings supporting the service

Time-based device services deny when the payer can’t “see the work” in the note.

We see denials when total time is missing, when services are described too generally (“counseled patient”), or when the documentation doesn’t connect the service to clinical findings and next steps.

Guarantee: We’ll identify why your time-based hearing device services are being downcoded or denied and show you exactly what to change.

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Vestibular Implant Procedures (Category III)

These Category III codes describe emerging vestibular implant technologies and related services. Coverage and payment are payer-dependent.

0725T – Surgical implantation or removal of a vestibular implant.
0726T – Surgical implantation or removal of a vestibular implant, alternative procedural approach.
0727T – Surgical implantation or removal of a vestibular implant using a different technique.
0728T – Initial setup, calibration, and configuration of a vestibular implant for diagnostic analysis, unilateral.
0729T – Subsequent programming, adjustment, and configuration of a vestibular implant for diagnostic analysis, unilateral.

Because Category III reimbursement varies significantly by payer, documentation and authorization workflows are especially important. When claims deny here, it’s often due to coverage limitations—not coding errors—so confirming payer rules up front protects your time and your patient’s expectations.

Vestibular and Balance Testing

Vestibular testing supports evaluation of dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, and suspected vestibular disorders. Many services are comprehensive and can be subject to bundling edits, so the test performed should drive code selection.

92517 – Cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) testing, with interpretation and report.
92518 – Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) testing, with interpretation and report.
92519 – Combined cVEMP and oVEMP testing, with interpretation and report.
92537 – Bilateral caloric vestibular testing with bithermal irrigations, with recording.
92538 – Bilateral caloric vestibular testing with monothermal irrigations, with recording.
92540 – Comprehensive vestibular evaluation including multiple nystagmus tests, optokinetic stimulation, and tracking, with recording.
92541 – Spontaneous, gaze, and fixation nystagmus testing, with recording.
92542 – Positional nystagmus testing in multiple positions, with recording.
92544 – Optokinetic nystagmus testing with bidirectional stimulation.
92545 – Oscillating tracking test for eye movements.
92546 – Sinusoidal vertical axis rotational testing.
92547 – Use of vertical electrodes during vestibular testing (reported separately when applicable).
92548 – Computerized dynamic posturography evaluating sensory organization, with interpretation and report.
92549 – Computerized dynamic posturography including sensory organization, motor control, and adaptation testing.

Caloric Testing Note (92543)

Tip: CPT® 92543 (each irrigation) may be used when fewer irrigations are performed and a complete bithermal (92537) or monothermal (92538) study is not reported. Avoid reporting 92543 alongside 92537/92538 for the same caloric testing, as payers often treat these as overlapping methods of reporting.

Denials in vestibular testing often stem from two issues: (1) medical necessity is not clearly documented, or (2) the combination of codes triggers bundling edits. Clear symptom documentation (what the patient is experiencing, severity, duration, and functional impact) strengthens medical necessity and supports comprehensive services.

Vestibular claims deny when payers see “overlap” or weak medical necessity.

We see denials when comprehensive vestibular services are billed without documentation that matches the clinical indication, or when overlapping caloric reporting triggers edits.

Guarantee: We’ll identify your most common vestibular denial patterns and provide a documentation-and-coding fix plan.

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Audiometric Testing

Audiometric testing codes remain among the most common services billed in audiology. Select codes based on what was actually performed (air vs. air/bone thresholds, speech testing, and whether comprehensive testing applies).

92550 – Tympanometry and acoustic reflex threshold testing.
92552 – Pure tone audiometry, air conduction only.
92553 – Pure tone audiometry, air and bone conduction.
92555 – Speech audiometry threshold testing.
92556 – Speech audiometry threshold testing with speech recognition.
92557 – Comprehensive audiometry threshold evaluation and speech recognition.
92561 – Bekesy audiometry.
92562 – Loudness balance testing.
92563 – Tone decay testing.
92564 – Short increment sensitivity index (SISI) testing.

Many payer issues here come down to mismatched documentation: the claim says “comprehensive,” but the note reads like a limited test battery. Making sure the audiogram/testing narrative matches the billed service is a simple way to prevent denials.

Audiology Billing Modifiers

Modifiers may be needed to indicate repeat testing, laterality, or distinct services performed on the same date. Always follow payer policy and ensure documentation supports modifier use.

Modifier	Description
-59	Distinct procedural service when separately identifiable (use carefully and only when supported)
-76	Repeat procedure by the same provider
-77	Repeat procedure by a different provider
-LT / -RT	Left ear / Right ear, when required by payer policy
-52	Reduced services

Modifiers are where audiology claims get delayed—especially -59 and laterality.

We see denials when -59 is appended without a defensible “distinct service” story, or when LT/RT isn’t used the way a payer expects for ear-specific services.

Guarantee: We’ll identify your modifier-driven denials and tell you exactly what to change to prevent repeat denials.

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A Quick 2026 “Watch List” for Audiology Teams

Remove deleted device-service codes. Claims billed with 92590–92595 will fail once payers enforce the deletion.
Time-based device services require defensible time. Document total time and the work performed (selection, fitting, verification, follow-up).
Expect scrutiny on vestibular combinations. Overlap and bundling edits increase when test batteries aren’t clearly documented.
Laterality rules vary by payer. LT/RT and “distinct service” logic must match payer requirements, not just clinical workflow.

If your team misses one 2026 change, payers will reject the claim—and you’ll be stuck reworking it.

These aren’t “hard denials.” They’re preventable breakdowns in templates, charge capture, and documentation habits—especially around the transition to 92628–92642.

Guarantee: We’ll identify your 2026 code-transition risks and show you how to eliminate them before they hit submission.

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Audiology Billing Tips for 2026

Update hearing device workflows. Remove deleted codes 92590–92595 from templates and adopt the new 92628–92642 code family where applicable.
Support time-based reporting. For time-based hearing device services, include total time and clearly document what was performed.
Document medical necessity. Vestibular and balance testing should be supported by symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, or suspected vestibular dysfunction.
Avoid unbundling and overlap. Many vestibular services are comprehensive; choose codes that match the test performed and avoid reporting overlapping caloric methods together.
Use modifiers carefully. Apply -59 or laterality modifiers only when documentation clearly supports distinct testing or payer requirements.

If these rules aren’t built into workflow, denials keep coming back—month after month.

Most teams know the basics, but denials persist because templates, charge capture habits, and documentation structure don’t match payer expectations for 2026 device services and vestibular testing.

Guarantee: We’ll deliver a Denial Snapshot that identifies the process gaps causing denials—and a plan to fix them.

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Final Thoughts

2026 brings a meaningful shift in how hearing device professional services are reported, while diagnostic audiology and vestibular testing codes remain core to day-to-day billing. Keeping your audiology CPT® codes and modifiers for 2026 current—and aligning documentation with payer expectations—helps protect reimbursement, reduce denials, and maintain compliance.

If your audiology claims are delaying payment, you’re losing time and revenue you won’t get back.

Whether the issue is the 92590–92595 deletion, time-based device services under 92628–92642, vestibular bundling edits, or modifier-driven denials, we’ve seen these exact problems and know how to correct them quickly.

Guarantee: We’ll identify your top denial causes and deliver a concrete plan to reduce denials and speed up reimbursement.