CPT code 11601: Malignant skin excision, trunk, arms, or legs; 0.6–1 cm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Excision of a malignant skin lesion on the trunk, arm, or leg, selected when the lesion and margins together measure 0.6–1 cm.
Medicare pays $239.11–$297.85 for 11601 in the office in California, from Chico, CA to San Benito County, CA. 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 11601 covers
This service removes a malignant skin lesion from the trunk, an arm, or a leg, including the surrounding margins. A dermatologist, surgeon, or other qualified physician typically performs the excision in an office or outpatient setting. The selected size is the greatest diameter of the lesion plus the margins, not the lesion’s diameter alone. Routine simple closure is included; a separately documented intermediate or complex repair may be reported when its requirements are met.
Report this code for an excised diameter of 0.6–1 cm at one of these anatomic sites. Documentation should identify the site, lesion dimensions, margins taken, final excised diameter, and malignant diagnosis. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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 11601 pays more and less in California
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
29 payment localities
$239.11 to $297.85
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $239.83 | $131.47 |
| Chico, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| El Centro, CA | $239.15 | $130.79 |
| Fresno, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| Hanford, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $254.95 | $137.99 |
| Madera, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| Marin County, CA | $291.37 | $151.97 |
| Merced, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| Modesto, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| Napa, CA | $275.65 | $145.35 |
| Oxnard, CA | $253.59 | $136.73 |
| Redding, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| Rest of California | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| Riverside, CA | $241.72 | $133.36 |
| Sacramento, CA | $250.55 | $135.57 |
| Salinas, CA | $249.61 | $135.02 |
| San Benito County, CA | $297.85 | $155.29 |
| San Diego, CA | $255.20 | $136.96 |
| San Francisco, CA | $291.10 | $151.70 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $245.63 | $133.02 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $296.74 | $154.17 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $257.43 | $137.30 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $250.47 | $135.19 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $260.00 | $138.60 |
| Stockton, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| Vallejo, CA | $275.26 | $144.96 |
| Visalia, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
| Yuba City, CA | $239.11 | $130.75 |
How the 11601 rate is calculated
Each of 11601’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 · 11601
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.02
2.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.54
4.54 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.24
0.24 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
6.8000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$227.13
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 11601
11601 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 11601
Malignant skin excision, trunk, arms, or legs; 0.6–1 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 · 11601
Malignant skin excision, trunk, arms, or legs; 0.6–1 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
11601 without 51 · national office
$227.13
Malignant skin excision, trunk, arms, or legs; 0.6–1 cm
11601-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$113.57
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%).
11601 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 11600Malignant lesion excisionTrunk or extremity, 0.5 cm or less
- Both cover malignant lesions on the trunk, arms, or legs. Choose 11600 when the lesion plus margins measures 0.5 cm or less.
- 11602Malignant lesion excisionTrunk or extremity, 1.1–2 cm
- Both cover malignant lesions on the trunk, arms, or legs. Choose 11602 when the lesion plus margins measures 1.1–2 cm.
- 11621Skin lesion excisionScalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia
- The size range is the same, but 11621 applies to its specified anatomic group rather than the trunk, arms, or legs.
- 11641Malignant lesion excisionFace, 0.6–1.0 cm
- The size range is the same, but 11641 applies to its specified facial and related anatomic group rather than the trunk, arms, or legs.
11601 billing questions
How is the size range determined?
Use the greatest diameter of the lesion together with the margins removed. The lesion’s original diameter alone does not determine the code.
When should 11600 or 11602 be reported instead?
For a trunk, arm, or leg lesion, use 11600 when the excised diameter is 0.5 cm or less and 11602 when it is 1.1–2 cm.
Can the closure be billed separately?
Routine simple closure is included. A separately documented intermediate or complex repair may be reported when the repair meets that service’s coding requirements.
Can modifier 50 be used for lesions on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What documentation supports reporting 11601?
Record the anatomic site, lesion dimensions, margins removed, greatest final excised diameter, and malignant diagnosis.
Are postoperative visits included?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure payment.
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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