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CPT code 15150: Cultured skin graft, trunk, arms, or legs2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Houston, TX

Reports placement of cultured autologous skin on the trunk or limbs for the initial grafted area, commonly in treatment of extensive burns or wounds.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality

In Houston, TX, Medicare pays $794.26 for 15150 in the office and $648.99 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$794.26Office (non-facility)
$648.99Hospital or facility
+4.0%vs the national office rate ($763.54)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 15150 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 15150 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Houston, TX
  2. What 15150 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 15150 covers

This code represents placement of a patient’s cultured skin cells as a graft on the trunk, arms, or legs. It is used for the initial grafted area: up to 100 sq cm, or the corresponding body-surface-area measure for infants and children. Burn and reconstructive surgeons may use this approach for extensive burns or other large wounds when cultured autologous skin is selected. The service includes the graft application, not simply harvesting a skin sample to begin cell culture.

Select the code based on the recipient site and the area treated, and document the grafted area or the applicable pediatric body-surface-area measure. Additional area is reported with the corresponding add-on code, 15151 or 15152, according to the applicable measurement basis. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is not appropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 Houston, TX compares for 15150

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 15150 runs from $670.76 in Arkansas to $925.01 in San Benito County, CA. Houston, TX pays $794.26. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

15150 in Houston, TX vs other payment areas
  1. Houston, TX · this page$794.26
  2. Austin, TX · Texas$776.56−$17.70
  3. Beaumont, TX · Texas$723.92−$70.34
  4. Brazoria, TX · Texas$744.54−$49.72
  5. Dallas, TX · Texas$753.13−$41.13
  6. Fort Worth, TX · Texas$750.44−$43.82
  7. Galveston, TX · Texas$749.23−$45.03

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

Every other payment area

15150 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Rest of TexasTexas$736.43$597.59
Los Angeles, CACalifornia$817.18$644.12
Washington, DC areaDistrict of Columbia$856.18$683.84
Miami, FLFlorida$904.57$752.28
Chicago, ILIllinois$873.97$726.94
Manhattan, NYNew York$892.09$722.10
AlaskaAlaska$904.03$748.23
AlabamaAlabama$680.96$552.95

15150 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.

$670.76

$904.03

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

View every state and territory as a table
15150 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$904.031
AL$680.961
AR$670.761
AZ$740.071
CA$766.66–$925.0129
CO$773.251
CT$815.831
DC$856.181
DE$752.271
FL$788.36–$904.573
GA$738.77–$786.982
GU$780.391
HI$780.391
IA$682.091
ID$690.211
IL$777.14–$873.974
IN$693.911
KS$686.751
KY$714.891
LA$716.92–$752.572
MA$771.66–$839.882
MD$764.37–$856.183
ME$702.45–$729.852
MI$741.48–$806.772
MN$716.591
MO$709.60–$745.693
MS$689.911
MT$763.381
NC$708.731
ND$714.741
NE$683.531
NH$768.671
NJ$818.29–$848.482
NM$748.901
NV$750.201
NY$720.37–$924.505
OH$731.541
OK$705.051
OR$737.64–$789.082
PA$728.24–$800.302
PR$766.441
RI$772.871
SC$722.691
SD$708.991
TN$691.341
TX$723.92–$794.268
UT$732.641
VA$733.01–$856.182
VI$766.441
VT$719.201
WA$767.78–$849.032
WI$690.921
WV$749.781
WY$742.181

See 15150 in every payment locality

How the 15150 rate is calculated

Each of 15150’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 · 15150

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work9.16

9.16 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense11.24

11.24 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice2.46

2.46 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

22.8600

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$763.54

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

The exact Houston, TX inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

1,498

Code
15150
Physician work
9.16
Practice expense
11.24
Malpractice
2.46

GPCI2026.csv

102

Locality
Houston, TX
Physician work
1.008
Practice expense
0.993
Malpractice
1.376
Office calculation for 15150 in Houston, TX
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work9.16× 1.0089.2333
Practice expense11.24× 0.99311.1613
Malpractice2.46× 1.3763.3850
Total RVUs23.7796
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Houston, TX$794.26

Office: (9.16 × 1.008 + 11.24 × 0.993 + 2.46 × 1.376) × $33.4009 = $794.26

Facility: (9.16 × 1.008 + 6.86 × 0.993 + 2.46 × 1.376) × $33.4009 = $648.99

Open 15150 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 15150

15150 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 15150

Cultured skin graft, trunk, arms, or legs

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 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)0.10/0.71/0.19Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 15150

Cultured skin graft, trunk, arms, or legs

90-day global period ends

Dec 30, 2026

Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

15150 without 51 · national office

$763.54

Cultured skin graft, trunk, arms, or legs

15150-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$381.77

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

Codes related to 15150

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

Codes related to 15150
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Houston, TX
Add-on codes
15151Cultured skin graft, additional 100 sq cmAdd-on for additional trunk or limb graft area measured in 100-sq-cm units.$131.75
15152Cultured skin graft, each additional 1% body areaAdd-on for additional area using the infant or child body-surface-area measure.$162.64
Same family
15155Cultured allograft, face and other special sitesInitial-area cultured skin graft code for specified head, hand, foot, and genital sites.$870.81
Used instead
15100Skin graft, trunk, arms, or legsReports a split-thickness autograft rather than cultured skin.$945.34
15110Epidermal graft, trunk, arms, or legsReports an epidermal autograft for the trunk or limbs.$926.90
15130Dermal autograft, trunk, arms, or legsReports a dermal autograft for the trunk or limbs.$786.78

How 15150 has changed in Houston, TX

15150 · Office / nonfacility

$794.26

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $69.78 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $724.48 to $794.26 (9.6%).

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

    $724.48changed to$794.26

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 9.39 changed to 9.16
    • Practice expense RVU 9.48 changed to 11.24
    • Malpractice RVU 2.39 changed to 2.46
    • Work GPCI 1.014 changed to 1.008
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.003 changed to 0.993
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.409 changed to 1.376

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $744.82changed to$724.48

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 9.43 changed to 9.48
    • Malpractice RVU 2.41 changed to 2.39

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $732.67changed to$744.82

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $742.48changed to$732.67

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Malpractice RVU 2.36 changed to 2.41
    • Work GPCI 1.023 changed to 1.014
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.016 changed to 1.003
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.154 changed to 1.409

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $746.75changed to$742.48

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 9.48 changed to 9.43
    • Malpractice RVU 2.37 changed to 2.36
    • Work GPCI 1.032 changed to 1.023
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.029 changed to 1.016
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.900 changed to 1.154

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $745.76changed to$746.75

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 9.35 changed to 9.48
    • Malpractice RVU 2.29 changed to 2.37

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $740.91changed to$745.76

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 8.63 changed to 9.35
    • Malpractice RVU 2.28 changed to 2.29
    • Work GPCI 1.026 changed to 1.032
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.020 changed to 1.029
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.918 changed to 0.900

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $727.72changed to$740.91

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 8.38 changed to 8.63
    • Work GPCI 1.020 changed to 1.026
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.012 changed to 1.020
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.936 changed to 0.918

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $722.24changed to$727.72

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 8.27 changed to 8.38
    • Malpractice RVU 2.26 changed to 2.28

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $706.47changed to$722.24

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 8.02 changed to 8.27
    • Malpractice RVU 2.13 changed to 2.26
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.009 changed to 1.012
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.946 changed to 0.936

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $718.88changed to$706.47

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 8.33 changed to 8.02
    • Malpractice RVU 2.23 changed to 2.13
    • Work GPCI 1.019 changed to 1.020
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.006 changed to 1.009
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.955 changed to 0.946

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $719.97changed to$718.88

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 8.26 changed to 8.33
    • Malpractice RVU 2.26 changed to 2.23

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $716.39changed to$719.97

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $701.72changed to$716.39

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 8.25 changed to 8.26
    • Malpractice RVU 1.90 changed to 2.26
    • Work GPCI 1.014 changed to 1.019
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.004 changed to 1.006
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.939 changed to 0.955

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $700.87changed to$701.72

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 9.27 changed to 8.25
    • Malpractice RVU 1.99 changed to 1.90
    • Work GPCI 1.009 changed to 1.014
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.002 changed to 1.004
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.923 changed to 0.939

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $700.87

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$794.26$648.99RVU26D
2026-07-01$794.26$648.99RVU26C
2026-04-01$794.26$648.99RVU26B
2026-01-01$794.26$648.99RVU26A
2025-10-01$724.48$663.16RVU25D
2025-07-01$724.48$663.16RVU25C
2025-04-01$724.48$663.16RVU25B
2025-01-01$724.48$663.16RVU25A
2024-10-01$744.82$678.72RVU24D
2024-07-01$744.82$678.72RVU24C
2024-04-01$744.82$678.72RVU24B
2024-03-09$744.82$678.72RVU24AR
2024-01-01$732.67$667.64RVU24A
2023-10-01$742.48$671.90RVU23D
2023-07-01$742.48$671.90RVU23C
2023-04-01$742.48$671.90RVU23B
2023-01-01$742.48$671.90RVU23A
2022-10-01$746.75$670.54RVU22D
2022-07-01$746.75$670.54RVU22C
2022-04-01$746.75$670.54RVU22B
2022-01-01$746.75$670.54RVU22A
2021-10-01$745.76$668.56RVU21D
2021-07-01$745.76$668.56RVU21C
2021-04-01$745.76$668.56RVU21B
2021-01-01$745.76$668.56RVU21A
2020-10-01$740.91$672.44RVU20D
2020-07-01$740.91$672.44RVU20C
2020-04-01$740.91$672.44RVU20B
2020-01-01$740.91$672.44RVU20A
2019-10-01$727.72$664.62RVU19D
2019-07-01$727.72$664.62RVU19C
2019-04-01$727.72$664.62RVU19B
2019-01-01$727.72$664.62RVU19A
2018-10-01$722.24$661.40RVU18D
2018-07-01$722.24$661.40RVU18C
2018-04-01$722.24$661.40RVU18B
2018-01-01$722.24$661.40RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$706.47$648.89RVU17D
2017-07-01$706.47$648.89RVU17C
2017-04-01$706.47$648.89RVU17B
2017-01-01$706.47$648.89RVU17A
2016-10-01$718.88$659.09RVU16D
2016-07-01$718.88$659.09RVU16C
2016-04-01$718.88$659.09RVU16B
2016-01-01$718.88$659.09RVU16A
2015-10-01$719.97$659.60RVU15D
2015-07-01$719.97$659.60RVU15C
2015-04-01$716.39$656.32RVU15B
2015-01-01$716.39$656.32RVU15A
2014-10-01$701.72$642.37RVU14D
2014-07-01$701.72$642.37RVU14C
2014-04-01$701.72$642.37RVU14B
2014-01-01$701.72$642.37RVU14A
2013-10-01$700.87$636.78RVU13D
2013-07-01$700.87$636.78RVU13C
2013-04-01$700.87$636.78RVU13B
2013-01-01$700.87$636.78RVU13AR

Price 15150 for an earlier date of service

Where the Houston, TX rate applies

Houston, TX is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 46 cities and communities in Texas. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

Browse all communities in Texas

15150 billing questions

How is 15150 different from 15155?

15150 is for the trunk, arms, or legs. 15155 is the corresponding initial-area cultured skin graft code for the face, scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia.

When should 15151 or 15152 be reported with 15150?

Use the applicable add-on code for grafted area beyond the initial area. The choice depends on whether the additional area is measured in 100-sq-cm units or by the pediatric body-surface-area measure.

Can a split-thickness graft code be reported instead?

No, not for the same cultured skin graft service. Code 15100 describes a different graft method; select the code that reflects the technique actually performed.

What documentation supports 15150?

Document the recipient site, cultured autologous graft application, and area treated. For an infant or child, document the body-surface-area measure used to select the code.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be billed?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 15150, and co-surgeons are not permitted for this code.

Does the 90-day global period include postoperative care?

Yes. Related postoperative care for 90 days and the day-before preoperative visit are included in the 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.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 15150PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,498 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for Houston, TXGPCI2026.csv, line 102 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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