CPT 93010: electrocardiogram (ECG), interpretation and report only. What Medicare pays and what to ask
This code is the doctor's reading of an ECG, billed apart from the tracing. Here is what 93010 covers and the Medicare rate.
What this code means
CPT 93010 is the doctor's interpretation and written report of an ECG. The tracing itself is 93005 and the complete package is 93000.
It is often billed by a different provider than the one who recorded the tracing.
Why the bill can be much higher than the Medicare rate
A reading by a cardiologist or ER doctor is a separate service from the recording.
Seeing 93010 together with 93000 for the same test is worth a question, since 93000 already includes the reading.
| If a line is billed at | It would be |
|---|---|
| 5x the Medicare rate | $41.75 |
| 10x the Medicare rate | $83.50 |
| 20x the Medicare rate | $167.00 |
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
- Who read my ECG, and is the reading billed by that doctor?
- Is a complete ECG (93000) also billed for the same test?
- Is the interpretation listed only once?
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.