CPT code 11626: Skin excision, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; over 4 cm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Excision of a malignant skin lesion on the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia, with margins producing an excised diameter greater than 4 cm.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities7.2K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $419.18 for 11626 nationally in the office and $254.18 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $372.49–$531.67.

Medicare rate · 11626

Skin excision, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; over 4 cm

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
4.49
Total RVUs
12.55
Global days
010

National rate · 2026

$419.18

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 11626 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 11626 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 11626 covers

This service removes a malignant skin lesion through the dermis, including the margins needed for excision. The site must be the scalp, neck, hand, foot, or genitalia, and the excised diameter must exceed 4 cm. Dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and other clinicians performing skin surgery commonly provide it in office or outpatient settings. Simple closure is included; intermediate or complex repair may be separately reported when performed and documented. The excised tissue is typically submitted for pathologic examination.

Choose the code by the anatomic site and the greatest excised diameter, measured as the lesion plus the margins removed. Document the lesion, site, measurements, margins, and procedure. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during that period. When multiple procedures occur in one session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the others. 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.

Where 11626 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$372.49 to $531.67

$372.49$452.08$531.67
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

11626 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$377.69$233.31
Alaska$498.62$322.89
Arizona$407.97$248.08
Arkansas$372.49$230.75
Atlanta, GA$428.63$260.99
Austin, TX$430.73$256.16
Bakersfield, CA$435.51$254.67
Baltimore area, MD$445.40$268.35
Beaumont, TX$395.43$245.28
Brazoria, TX$412.60$249.09

11626 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$372.49

$498.62

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
11626 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$498.621
AL$377.691
AR$372.491
AZ$407.971
CA$433.36–$531.6729
CO$431.031
CT$446.291
DC$473.551
DE$414.441
FL$421.22–$467.993
GA$397.72–$428.632
GU$441.901
HI$441.901
IA$383.151
ID$386.301
IL$412.26–$454.324
IN$388.331
KS$383.181
KY$389.961
LA$390.08–$408.252
MA$429.35–$469.842
MD$421.53–$473.553
ME$390.08–$407.622
MI$401.24–$428.062
MN$408.381
MO$384.87–$407.533
MS$378.661
MT$419.131
NC$393.681
ND$404.101
NE$384.621
NH$426.011
NJ$450.07–$469.372
NM$404.051
NV$415.191
NY$399.45–$496.625
OH$398.171
OK$387.431
OR$410.67–$442.152
PA$397.79–$436.782
PR$421.481
RI$427.341
SC$396.841
SD$402.331
TN$385.241
TX$395.43–$430.738
UT$401.961
VA$407.57–$473.552
VI$421.481
VT$404.201
WA$427.99–$477.382
WI$391.371
WV$398.181
WY$412.581

How the 11626 rate is calculated

Each of 11626’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 · 11626

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work4.49

4.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.30

7.30 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.76

0.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

12.5500

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$419.18

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 11626

11626 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 11626

Skin excision, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; over 4 cm

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period010Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.80/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 11626

Skin excision, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; over 4 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.

SurgeryVisit
Sep 28, 2026Oct 14, 2026

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

11626 without 51 · national office

$419.18

Skin excision, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; over 4 cm

11626-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$209.59

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%).

When to use modifier 51

11626 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 11626

    Skin excision, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; over 4 cm4.49 wRVU

    $419.18

  • 11624

    Skin excision, 3.1–4 cm excised diameter3.53 wRVU

    $339.35−$79.83

  • 11606

    Lesion excision, trunk or extremity, over 4 cm4.89 wRVU

    $463.60+$44.42

  • 11646

    Malignant lesion excision, face and related sites, over 4 cm6.1 wRVU

    $515.38+$96.20

How to choose

11624Skin excision3.1–4 cm excised diameter
Both codes cover the scalp, neck, hands, feet, and genitalia. Choose 11624 for an excised diameter of 3.1 to 4 cm; 11626 is for greater than 4 cm.
11606Lesion excisionTrunk or extremity, over 4 cm
This code covers malignant lesions over 4 cm on the trunk, arms, or legs. Code 11626 is for the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia.
11646Malignant lesion excisionFace and related sites, over 4 cm
This code covers malignant lesions over 4 cm on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, or lips. Code 11626 covers the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia.

11626 billing questions

How is the greater-than-4-cm size determined?

Use the excised diameter, including the margins removed, rather than the lesion diameter alone. The measurement must be greater than 4 cm.

When is 11624 more appropriate?

Use 11624 for the same site group when the excised diameter is 3.1 to 4 cm. Code 11626 requires a diameter greater than 4 cm.

Is simple closure separately billable?

Simple closure is included in the excision service. A separately performed intermediate or complex repair may be reported when supported by the operative documentation.

Should modifier 50 be used for lesions on both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Report the excision according to the documented lesion, site, and size.

Are postoperative visits included?

Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure payment.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be billed?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. Co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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
RVUs for 11626PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,352 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 11626 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 11626 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.

Build my fee sheet