CPT code 11922: Medical tattooing, additional treated area2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Reports additional intradermal pigment treatment beyond the initial 20 square centimeters when correcting a skin color defect, in 20-square-centimeter increments or parts.
Medicare pays $66.64–$75.74 for 11922 in the office in Maryland, from Rest of Maryland to Washington, DC area. 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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What 11922 covers
Code 11922 captures additional skin surface treated with intradermal pigment to correct a color defect, such as residual color mismatch after scarring or reconstructive surgery. Dermatology and plastic-surgery clinicians may perform medical tattooing in an office or outpatient setting. Restoring nipple-areola color after breast reconstruction is one established use. The service changes pigmentation, not underlying shape or tissue.
Select 11920 for an initial area up to 6.0 square centimeters or 11921 for an initial area of 6.1–20.0 square centimeters. For area beyond the initial 20.0 square centimeters, report 11922 for each additional 20 square centimeters or part; document the defect, treatment, and measured area to support units. Report 11922 only with the applicable primary code, not alone. CMS restricts payment to specific circumstances; the fee-schedule status does not identify those circumstances. As an add-on, payment falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
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 11922 pays more and less in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$66.64 to $75.74
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | $70.49 | $25.69 |
| Rest of Maryland | $66.64 | $24.39 |
| Washington, DC area | $75.74 | $26.56 |
How the 11922 rate is calculated
Each of 11922’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 · 11922
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.48
0.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.42
1.42 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.08
0.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
1.9800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$66.13
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 11922
The CMS indicators that decide how 11922 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 11922
Medical tattooing, additional treated area
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
11922 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 11920Skin tattooingUp to 6 square centimeters
- Use 11920 for the initial treated area of 6.0 square centimeters or less. It may serve as the primary code when the applicable treatment also includes additional area reported with 11922.
- 11921Skin color correction6.1–20.0 sq cm
- Use 11921 for an initial treated area of 6.1–20.0 square centimeters. Report 11922 for additional area beyond the initial 20.0.
- 11900Lesion injectionUp to seven lesions
- 11900 describes injection of skin lesions, rather than intradermal pigment treatment to correct a skin color defect.
- 19350Nipple reconstructionNipple–areola reconstruction
- 19350 is for nipple-areola reconstruction. 11922 applies when the service corrects skin color rather than reconstructing anatomy.
11922 billing questions
When should 11922 be reported instead of 11921?
11921 covers an initial treated area of 6.1–20.0 square centimeters. Report 11922 for each additional 20 square centimeters or part beyond the initial 20.0.
Can 11922 be billed by itself?
No. It is an add-on code reported with the applicable primary code, 11920 or 11921.
What documentation supports the number of units?
Document the skin color defect, the pigment treatment, and the measured surface area. The measurements should support each additional 20-square-centimeter increment or part.
What coverage does CMS allow for 11922?
CMS identifies payment as restricted to specific circumstances. The fee-schedule status alone does not specify those circumstances.
Is 11922 paid outside the primary procedure’s global period?
No. CMS identifies it as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period.
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.
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