CPT 92567

Understanding CPT Code 92567: Tympanometry

CPT code 92567 covers tympanometry — a quick, painless test that measures how well your eardrum and middle ear are working. It's often paired with a comprehensive hearing test (CPT 92557) when middle ear problems like fluid, infection, or a perforated eardrum are suspected.

What Medicare Pays vs. What You Might Be Charged
Category Amount
Medicare Allowed Rate What Medicare approves for this service $15.96
Typical Billed Amount What providers commonly charge $30 – $80
Potential Markup How much more you might pay vs. Medicare rate ~190% above Medicare
Why the difference? Providers set their own prices. Without insurance, you may be billed the full amount. Even with insurance, your co-pay is often based on the provider's charge — not the Medicare rate.

What CPT 92567 Means and When It's Used

CPT code 92567 covers a single test: tympanometry. A small, soft probe is placed in your ear canal and gently varies air pressure for a few seconds while measuring how the eardrum moves. The result, called a tympanogram, tells your provider whether the middle ear has fluid behind it, whether the eardrum is moving normally, and whether there's a perforation or pressure problem.

You'll see 92567 most often in three situations: a child being checked for ear infections (otitis media with effusion), an adult with sudden hearing loss or ear fullness, and as part of a comprehensive audiology workup paired with CPT 92557. It takes only a minute or two and is one of the cheaper diagnostic codes in this category.

Tympanometry is also used to confirm that hearing loss has a middle-ear (conductive) component versus an inner-ear (sensorineural) cause. That distinction changes treatment — middle-ear problems may resolve with medication or minor surgery, while sensorineural loss usually means hearing aids.

Understanding Your Bill for CPT 92567

Charges for CPT 92567 typically range from $30 to $80, with Medicare's national allowed amount around $15.96. Because the test is so quick, the markup over Medicare can look high in percentage terms even though the absolute dollars are small.

Tympanometry is usually performed alongside other audiology codes — most commonly 92557 (comprehensive audiometry) or 92568 (acoustic reflex). On your bill you'll see each as a separate line item. Make sure each test was actually done; some clinics bundle 92567 routinely even when the eardrum reading wasn't clinically necessary.

Original Medicare covers 92567 when a physician orders it to evaluate a hearing or balance complaint. Hearing screenings done without symptoms or a physician order may not be covered.

How to Verify Your CPT 92567 Charges

Tympanometry is straightforward to verify because the test is short and distinctive — a soft probe in your ear with a brief pressure-changing sensation. If you don't remember any device being placed in your ear during the visit, ask the billing department for the audiologist's notes.

Watch for over-bundling. Some clinics bill 92567 alongside 92568 (acoustic reflex), 92570 (combined tympanometry + reflex + decay), or 92550. CPT 92570 already includes tympanometry — billing both 92567 and 92570 for the same ear in the same session is a coding error.

If your insurance denies the claim because it was treated as a screening, ask the provider whether they billed an appropriate diagnostic ICD-10 code (for example H65.90 for otitis media or H91.90 for hearing loss). The same test is covered or denied depending on the diagnosis attached.

Billing alert: Watch for CPT 92567 billed alongside CPT 92570. CPT 92570 already includes tympanometry — billing both for the same ear in the same session is a duplicate charge.

Codes Often Confused With CPT 92567

CPT 92557 CPT 92587 CPT 92625

This billing code often appears alongside these diagnosis codes on insurance claims:

H65.90
Otitis Media (Middle Ear Infection)
H66.90
Suppurative Otitis Media
H72.90
Tympanic Membrane Perforation
H91.90
Hearing Loss, Unspecified

Browse all diagnosis codes →

Frequently Asked Questions

CPT 92567 typically costs between $30–$80, though Medicare's national allowed amount is approximately $15.96. The test takes only a minute or two and is usually billed alongside a comprehensive hearing test.
Original Medicare covers 92567 when a physician orders it to evaluate a hearing or balance problem. Routine screenings without symptoms are generally not covered. Many Medicare Advantage plans add hearing benefits — check yours.
CPT 92567 is tympanometry alone. CPT 92570 bundles tympanometry with acoustic reflex and reflex decay testing. Billing both for the same session is a duplicate charge — the bundled code already includes 92567.

Related Diagnosis Codes

These ICD-10 diagnosis codes are commonly paired with CPT 92567 on medical bills:

H65.90 — Otitis Media H66.90 — Suppurative Otitis Media H72.90 — Tympanic Membrane Perforation H91.90 — Hearing Loss

Sources