CPT code 11441: Benign lesion excision, face, 0.6 to 1 cm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Michigan
Reports removal of a benign skin lesion on the face, ear, eyelid, nose, or lip when the lesion and margins measure 0.6 to 1 cm.
Medicare pays $164.27–$173.92 for 11441 in the office in Michigan, from Rest of Michigan to Detroit, MI. 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 11441 covers
This code describes surgical removal of a benign skin lesion from the face, ear, eyelid, nose, or lip. A dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or other qualified physician excises the lesion through the skin, including the necessary margins; simple closure is included. The service may be performed in an office or facility. A common clinical context is removal of a symptomatic or changing lesion that is believed to be benign and submitted for examination.
Select the code by anatomic site and the total excised diameter, measured across the lesion and the margins, not by lesion size alone. Document the site, lesion dimensions, margin width or excised dimensions, and technique. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to a 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this procedure; co-surgeons and team surgery 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.
Where 11441 pays more and less in Michigan
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI | $173.92 | $122.35 |
| Rest of Michigan | $164.27 | $115.48 |
How the 11441 rate is calculated
Each of 11441’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 · 11441
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.49
1.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense3.52
3.52 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.19
0.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
5.2000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$173.68
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 11441
11441 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 11441
Benign lesion excision, face, 0.6 to 1 cm
| 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 · 11441
Benign lesion excision, face, 0.6 to 1 cm
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
11441 without 51 · national office
$173.68
Benign lesion excision, face, 0.6 to 1 cm
11441-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$86.84
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%).
11441 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 11440Lesion excisionFace, 0.5 cm or less
- Both apply to facial, ear, eyelid, nose, or lip sites. Choose 11440 when the total excised diameter, including margins, is 0.5 cm or less; choose 11441 when it is 0.6 to 1 cm.
- 11442Facial lesion excision1.1–2 cm excised diameter
- This is the next size level for the same anatomic sites. Use it when the total excised diameter is 1.1 to 2 cm.
- 11421Lesion excisionScalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia
- The size range is the same, but the anatomic group differs: 11421 is for the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia rather than the face and listed facial structures.
- 11401Benign lesion excisionTrunk/extremities, 0.6–1 cm
- Use 11401 for a benign lesion on the trunk or extremities in this size range; 11441 is for facial, ear, eyelid, nose, or lip sites.
11441 billing questions
How is the 0.6-to-1-cm size selected?
Use the total excised diameter, including the lesion and margins. Do not select the size based only on the visible lesion.
When should 11440 be used instead?
Use 11440 for the same facial, ear, eyelid, nose, or lip sites when the total excised diameter is 0.5 cm or less.
Does this code include closure?
Simple closure is included in the excision service. Do not separately report a simple repair for closing the excision wound.
Are related postoperative visits separately reported?
Related postoperative visits for 10 days after the procedure are included in its global period.
Can modifier 50 be used for lesions on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
How does Medicare handle multiple procedures in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures performed in that session are subject to a 50% reduction. Medicare also does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeons or team surgery are 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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