CPT code 10121: Foreign body removal, complicated subcutaneous2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Guam
Reports incision and removal of a foreign object from subcutaneous tissue when extraction requires complicated dissection rather than a simple removal.
Medicare pays $293.63 for 10121 in the office in Guam (Hawaii, Guam, HI). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 10121 covers
A clinician uses an incision and dissection to locate and remove a foreign object lodged in subcutaneous tissue, the tissue beneath the skin. Examples include embedded splinters, glass fragments, or metal. The code is appropriate when the removal involves complicated dissection; the object’s material or size alone does not establish that level. These procedures may occur in an office, emergency department, or other setting where a clinician treats the wound.
Document the object’s location and depth, the incision and dissection performed, and why removal was complicated. Use 10120 for a simple subcutaneous removal. Medicare includes related postoperative visits for 10 days in this minor procedure’s global period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the others to 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are not permitted.
This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.
10121 in Hawaii, Guam, HI
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii, Guam, HI | $293.63 | $175.90 |
How the 10121 rate is calculated
Each of 10121’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.
How the rate is built · 10121
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.67
2.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense5.19
5.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.38
0.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
8.2400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$275.22
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 10121
10121 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 10121
Foreign body removal, complicated subcutaneous
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 10121
Foreign body removal, complicated subcutaneous
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
10121 without 51 · national office
$275.22
Foreign body removal, complicated subcutaneous
10121-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$137.61
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
10121 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 10120Foreign body removalSimple subcutaneous extraction
- Both address foreign bodies in subcutaneous tissue. Choose 10121 for complicated dissection and 10120 for simple removal.
- 20520Foreign body removalMuscle or tendon, simple
- Use 20520 for a simple removal from muscle or a tendon sheath; 10121 concerns subcutaneous tissue and complicated dissection.
- 20525Foreign body removalDeep or complicated
- Both describe complicated removal, but 20525 is for a foreign body in muscle or a tendon sheath rather than subcutaneous tissue.
- 10140Fluid drainageHematoma, seroma, or collection
- 10140 is for incision and drainage of a hematoma, seroma, or fluid collection; 10121 removes a foreign object.
10121 billing questions
How does 10121 differ from 10120?
Both involve removal from subcutaneous tissue. Report 10121 when the extraction requires complicated dissection; use 10120 for a simple removal.
Does the type of foreign object determine whether removal is complicated?
No. Document the location, depth, dissection, and other circumstances supporting complicated removal; the object’s material alone does not establish the code level.
Can related postoperative visits be billed separately?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in 10121.
Can modifier 50 be appended for removal on both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 10121, and co-surgeon or team-surgery billing is not permitted.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.
CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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