CPT 93005: electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing only. What Medicare pays and what to ask
The ECG tracing appears on many ER and clinic bills. Here is what 93005 includes and what Medicare's rate is.
What this code means
CPT 93005 is the recording of the ECG tracing only. It does not include the doctor's interpretation.
The complete ECG with interpretation is 93000. The interpretation alone is 93010.
Why the bill can be much higher than the Medicare rate
Seeing 93005 together with 93000 for the same test is worth a question, since the complete code already includes the tracing.
The Medicare rate here covers the tracing only.
| If a line is billed at | It would be |
|---|---|
| 5x the Medicare rate | $35.05 |
| 10x the Medicare rate | $70.10 |
| 20x the Medicare rate | $140.20 |
The Medicare rate is a published benchmark, not a legal ceiling on what a provider may charge. Our free scan flags a line as worth a closer look when it is billed at more than 10 times the Medicare rate.
Questions worth asking before you pay
- Is the tracing billed once?
- Is the interpretation billed separately, and by whom?
- Are both a complete ECG and a tracing-only ECG listed?
Check every line against the official Medicare rates in about a minute. The scan is free.
Related codes
Source: Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (CMS, July 2026 release), national payment amount, non-facility setting. Last updated October 2026. This page is general information, not legal or medical advice. Rates change each year and a hospital bill can include charges that the benchmark does not cover.