CPT 97110: therapeutic exercise (physical therapy). What Medicare pays and what to ask
Physical therapy bills are built from timed codes. This page explains 97110, one of the most billed codes in the country, and the Medicare rate per unit.
This rate is for one billing unit. Multiply it by the number of units on your bill to compare with the amount charged.
What this code means
CPT 97110 is therapeutic exercise to build strength, endurance, range of motion or flexibility, billed in 15-minute units.
A one-hour visit can include several units of this code and of related ones, such as 97530.
Why the bill can be much higher than the Medicare rate
The rate on this page is for one 15-minute unit, so the total depends on how many units were billed.
Because the code is timed, the number of units should match the minutes of direct, one-on-one care.
| If a line is billed at | It would be |
|---|---|
| 5x the Medicare rate | $145.30 per 15-minute unit |
| 10x the Medicare rate | $290.60 per 15-minute unit |
| 20x the Medicare rate | $581.20 per 15-minute unit |
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
- How many 15-minute units were billed, and does that match my session?
- Which other therapy codes were billed in the same visit?
- Were minutes counted while I was exercising on my own?
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.