CPT code 15002: Wound preparation, trunk, arms, or legs2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $363.07 for 15002 nationally in the office and $197.07 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $321.17–$464.40.

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

What 15002 covers

A surgeon excises an open wound, burn eschar, or scar, including subcutaneous tissue, to create a recipient site for reconstruction on the trunk, an arm, or a leg. This preparation may be performed for burn injuries, traumatic wounds, or scarred areas before grafting. Plastic, burn, and reconstructive surgeons commonly perform it in an operating room or other procedure setting. The code captures preparation of the recipient bed, not placement of the graft or substitute.

Select the code by the treated surface area and the applicable anatomic site: 15002 covers the initial 100 square centimeters, or the initial 1% of body surface area in infants and children. Document the site, measured area, wound or scar tissue removed, and preparation performed. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. Bilateral adjustment is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery is paid only when medical necessity is documented; 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 15002 pays more and less

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

109 of 109 payment localities

15002 rates by state

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

How the 15002 rate is calculated

Each of 15002’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 15002

The CMS indicators that decide how 15002 is paid alongside other services.

15002 compared with similar codes

How to choose

15003Wound preparationEach additional area

15002 covers the initial treated area on the trunk or limbs; 15003 is the add-on for each additional area increment.

15004Wound preparationFace, hands, feet, and similar sites

Choose 15004 when the recipient site is at its specified head, neck, genital, hand, or foot locations rather than the trunk or limbs.

15100Skin graftTrunk, arms, or legs

15002 describes recipient-site preparation. 15100 describes placement of a split-thickness skin graft on the trunk or limbs.

Codes related to 15002

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates