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

Reports surgical excision of wound, burn eschar, or scar to prepare a trunk or limb recipient site for grafting or similar reconstruction.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality31.8K Medicare services in 2024

In Iowa, Medicare pays $331.07 for 15002 in the office and $179.18 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$331.07Office (non-facility)
$179.18Hospital or facility
−8.8%vs the national office rate ($363.07)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 15002 nationwide

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

We’ll open 15002 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Iowa
  2. What 15002 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

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.

How Iowa compares for 15002

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 15002 runs from $321.17 in Arkansas to $464.40 in San Benito County, CA. Iowa pays $331.07. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

15002 in Iowa vs other payment areas
  1. Iowa · this page$331.07
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$401.36+$70.29
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$411.54+$80.47
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$405.38+$74.31
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$393.13+$62.06
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$419.44+$88.37
  7. Alaska · Alaska$427.23+$96.16

Other areas in Iowa first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

15002 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$325.84$180.59
ArkansasArkansas$321.17$178.58
ArizonaArizona$353.05$192.19
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$378.19$196.25
Chico, CACalifornia$376.37$194.43
El Centro, CACalifornia$376.48$194.54
Fresno, CACalifornia$376.37$194.43
Hanford, CACalifornia$376.37$194.43

15002 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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.

$321.17

$427.23

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

View every state and territory as a table
15002 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$427.231
AL$325.841
AR$321.171
AZ$353.051
CA$376.37–$464.4029
CO$373.981
CT$387.131
DC$411.541
DE$358.801
FL$364.20–$405.383
GA$343.21–$371.352
GU$384.401
HI$384.401
IA$331.071
ID$333.831
IL$355.94–$393.134
IN$335.671
KS$330.941
KY$336.531
LA$336.57–$352.902
MA$372.35–$408.712
MD$365.15–$411.543
ME$337.07–$353.052
MI$346.52–$370.182
MN$354.231
MO$331.81–$352.433
MS$326.481
MT$363.021
NC$340.331
ND$350.171
NE$332.441
NH$369.471
NJ$390.40–$407.632
NM$348.971
NV$359.661
NY$345.50–$431.335
OH$343.891
OK$334.421
OR$355.73–$384.102
PA$343.63–$378.522
PR$365.191
RI$370.321
SC$342.901
SD$348.651
TN$332.771
TX$341.51–$373.738
UT$347.511
VA$352.90–$411.542
VI$365.191
VT$350.121
WA$371.21–$415.542
WI$338.701
WV$343.281
WY$357.421

See 15002 in every payment locality

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.

How the rate is built · 15002

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work3.56

3.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense6.66

6.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.65

0.65 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

10.8700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$363.07

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

The exact Iowa inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

1,466

Code
15002
Physician work
3.56
Practice expense
6.66
Malpractice
0.65

GPCI2026.csv

53

Locality
Iowa
Physician work
1.000
Practice expense
0.915
Malpractice
0.397
Office calculation for 15002 in Iowa
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work3.56× 1.0003.5600
Practice expense6.66× 0.9156.0939
Malpractice0.65× 0.3970.2581
Total RVUs9.9120
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Iowa$331.07

Office: (3.56 × 1 + 6.66 × 0.915 + 0.65 × 0.397) × $33.4009 = $331.07

Facility: (3.56 × 1 + 1.69 × 0.915 + 0.65 × 0.397) × $33.4009 = $179.18

Open 15002 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 15002

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

CMS payment indicators · 15002

Wound preparation, trunk, arms, or legs

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

Codes related to 15002

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

Codes related to 15002
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Iowa
Add-on codes
15003Wound preparation, each additional areaAdd-on for each additional treated area beyond the initial area covered by 15002.$67.56
Used instead
15004Wound preparation, face, hands, feet, and similar sitesRecipient-site preparation for specified head, neck, genital, hand, and foot sites.$372.07
Often billed with
15100Skin graft, trunk, arms, or legsMay represent split-thickness skin graft placement after recipient-site preparation.$838.47

How 15002 has changed in Iowa

15002 · Office / nonfacility

$331.07

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $27.97 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $303.10 to $331.07 (9.2%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $303.10changed to$331.07

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 3.65 changed to 3.56
    • Practice expense RVU 5.94 changed to 6.66
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.913 changed to 0.915
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.457 changed to 0.397

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $313.58changed to$303.10

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 5.99 changed to 5.94
    • Malpractice RVU 0.66 changed to 0.65

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $308.47changed to$313.58

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $319.97changed to$308.47

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 6.05 changed to 5.99
    • Malpractice RVU 0.65 changed to 0.66
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.910 changed to 0.913
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.441 changed to 0.457

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $327.34changed to$319.97

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 6.10 changed to 6.05
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.907 changed to 0.910
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.425 changed to 0.441

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $331.80changed to$327.34

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 6.16 changed to 6.10
    • Malpractice RVU 0.64 changed to 0.65

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $329.74changed to$331.80

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 5.75 changed to 6.16
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.424 changed to 0.425

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $326.16changed to$329.74

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 5.66 changed to 5.75
    • Malpractice RVU 0.63 changed to 0.64
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.423 changed to 0.424

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $325.30changed to$326.16

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 5.64 changed to 5.66
    • Malpractice RVU 0.64 changed to 0.63

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $322.47changed to$325.30

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 5.59 changed to 5.64
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.902 changed to 0.907
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.458 changed to 0.423

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $320.99changed to$322.47

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 5.58 changed to 5.59
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.896 changed to 0.902
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.493 changed to 0.458

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $321.65changed to$320.99

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 5.57 changed to 5.58
    • Malpractice RVU 0.63 changed to 0.64

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $320.05changed to$321.65

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $317.69changed to$320.05

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 5.52 changed to 5.57
    • Malpractice RVU 0.62 changed to 0.63
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.892 changed to 0.896
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.475 changed to 0.493

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $320.47changed to$317.69

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 6.17 changed to 5.52
    • Malpractice RVU 0.65 changed to 0.62
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.887 changed to 0.892
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.456 changed to 0.475

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $320.47

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$331.07$179.18RVU26D
2026-07-01$331.07$179.18RVU26C
2026-04-01$331.07$179.18RVU26B
2026-01-01$331.07$179.18RVU26A
2025-10-01$303.10$195.60RVU25D
2025-07-01$303.10$195.60RVU25C
2025-04-01$303.10$195.60RVU25B
2025-01-01$303.10$195.60RVU25A
2024-10-01$313.58$199.01RVU24D
2024-07-01$313.58$199.01RVU24C
2024-04-01$313.58$199.01RVU24B
2024-03-09$313.58$199.01RVU24AR
2024-01-01$308.47$195.76RVU24A
2023-10-01$319.97$201.24RVU23D
2023-07-01$319.97$201.24RVU23C
2023-04-01$319.97$201.24RVU23B
2023-01-01$319.97$201.24RVU23A
2022-10-01$327.34$203.36RVU22D
2022-07-01$327.34$203.36RVU22C
2022-04-01$327.34$203.36RVU22B
2022-01-01$327.34$203.36RVU22A
2021-10-01$331.80$205.53RVU21D
2021-07-01$331.80$205.53RVU21C
2021-04-01$331.80$205.53RVU21B
2021-01-01$331.80$205.53RVU21A
2020-10-01$329.74$212.22RVU20D
2020-07-01$329.74$212.22RVU20C
2020-04-01$329.74$212.22RVU20B
2020-01-01$329.74$212.22RVU20A
2019-10-01$326.16$212.73RVU19D
2019-07-01$326.16$212.73RVU19C
2019-04-01$326.16$212.73RVU19B
2019-01-01$326.16$212.73RVU19A
2018-10-01$325.30$214.28RVU18D
2018-07-01$325.30$214.28RVU18C
2018-04-01$325.30$214.28RVU18B
2018-01-01$325.30$214.28RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$322.47$214.67RVU17D
2017-07-01$322.47$214.67RVU17C
2017-04-01$322.47$214.67RVU17B
2017-01-01$322.47$214.67RVU17A
2016-10-01$320.99$214.16RVU16D
2016-07-01$320.99$214.16RVU16C
2016-04-01$320.99$214.16RVU16B
2016-01-01$320.99$214.16RVU16A
2015-10-01$321.65$214.76RVU15D
2015-07-01$321.65$214.76RVU15C
2015-04-01$320.05$213.69RVU15B
2015-01-01$320.05$213.69RVU15A
2014-10-01$317.69$212.88RVU14D
2014-07-01$317.69$212.88RVU14C
2014-04-01$317.69$212.88RVU14B
2014-01-01$317.69$212.88RVU14A
2013-10-01$320.47$209.11RVU13D
2013-07-01$320.47$209.11RVU13C
2013-04-01$320.47$209.11RVU13B
2013-01-01$320.47$209.11RVU13AR

Price 15002 for an earlier date of service

Where the Iowa rate applies

Iowa is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 1026 cities and communities in Iowa. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Ackley
  • Ackworth
  • Adair
  • Adel
  • Afton
  • Agency
  • Ainsworth
  • Akron

Browse all communities in Iowa

15002 billing questions

When should 15002 be chosen instead of 15004?

Use 15002 for recipient-site preparation on the trunk, arms, or legs. Code 15004 is for preparation at the face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, or feet.

Does 15002 include graft placement?

No. It describes surgical preparation of the recipient site; a separately performed graft or skin-substitute application is represented by its own applicable code.

When is 15003 reported with 15002?

15003 is the add-on for each additional 100 square centimeters, or each additional 1% of body surface area in infants and children, beyond the initial area covered by 15002.

Can modifier 50 be used for preparation on both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for 15002. Report the service according to the applicable site and area descriptors.

What documentation supports 15002?

Record the anatomic site, wound or scar condition, tissue excised, preparation performed, and treated surface area. For an assistant at surgery, document medical necessity.

Can a co-surgeon or surgical team report 15002?

No. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code. An assistant at surgery is payable only with documentation of medical necessity.

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 15002PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,466 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for IowaGPCI2026.csv, line 53 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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