CPT code 15201: Skin graft, additional trunk area2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports each additional 20 square centimeters or part of full-thickness skin grafting on the trunk, beyond the area covered by the primary graft code.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities185 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $148.30 for 15201 nationally in the office and $64.80 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $130.82–$192.58.

Medicare rate · 15201

Skin graft, additional trunk area

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
1.29
Total RVUs
4.44
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$148.30

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 15201 →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 15201 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 15201 covers

This add-on represents additional recipient-site area covered with a free full-thickness skin graft on the trunk. A full-thickness graft contains the epidermis and the full dermis and may be used to reconstruct a trunk defect after lesion removal, trauma, or another procedure. Surgeons, including plastic and dermatologic surgeons, typically perform the graft in an operating room or other procedural setting. Direct closure of the graft donor site is part of the graft service.

Report 15201 with the primary trunk graft code, 15200, when the treated recipient area exceeds the area covered by that code. Count one unit for each additional 20 square centimeters or part thereof, using the documented grafted area rather than donor-site size. The operative report should identify the trunk recipient site, full-thickness graft type, and measured area. CMS classifies 15201 as an add-on: it is billed only with a primary procedure and paid within that 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 15201 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

$130.82 to $192.58

$130.82$161.70$192.58
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

15201 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$132.77$59.71
Alaska$172.73$83.80
Arizona$144.17$63.26
Arkansas$130.82$59.09
Atlanta, GA$151.53$66.70
Austin, TX$153.17$64.82
Bakersfield, CA$155.48$63.96
Baltimore area, MD$157.93$68.33
Beaumont, TX$138.98$62.99
Brazoria, TX$146.08$63.33

15201 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.

$130.82

$173.71

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

View every state and territory as a table
15201 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$172.731
AL$132.771
AR$130.821
AZ$144.171
CA$154.83–$192.5829
CO$153.381
CT$158.281
DC$168.861
DE$146.571
FL$147.87–$164.043
GA$139.24–$151.532
GU$158.431
HI$158.431
IA$135.381
ID$136.451
IL$144.14–$159.044
IN$137.231
KS$135.131
KY$136.821
LA$136.76–$143.592
MA$152.60–$168.142
MD$149.27–$168.863
ME$137.59–$144.592
MI$140.81–$150.162
MN$145.721
MO$134.64–$143.633
MS$132.741
MT$148.281
NC$138.991
ND$143.741
NE$136.011
NH$151.341
NJ$159.74–$167.142
NM$141.751
NV$147.111
NY$141.14–$176.075
OH$139.881
OK$136.151
OR$145.63–$157.852
PA$139.88–$154.562
PR$149.261
RI$151.511
SC$139.741
SD$143.201
TN$135.871
TX$138.98–$153.178
UT$141.661
VA$144.38–$168.862
VI$149.261
VT$143.531
WA$152.19–$171.192
WI$138.891
WV$138.831
WY$146.301

How the 15201 rate is calculated

Each of 15201’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 · 15201

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.29

1.29 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense2.92

2.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.23

0.23 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

4.4400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$148.30

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 15201

The CMS indicators that decide how 15201 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 15201

Skin graft, additional trunk area

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
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.

15201 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 15201

    Skin graft, additional trunk area1.29 wRVU

    $148.30

  • 15200

    Skin graft, trunk, 20 sq cm or less8.92 wRVU

    $875.77+$727.47

  • 15221

    Skin graft, scalp, arm, or leg; each additional area1.16 wRVU

    $133.94−$14.36

  • 15101

    Skin graft, additional area, trunk or limb1.68 wRVU

    $201.41+$53.11

How to choose

15200Skin graftTrunk, 20 sq cm or less
15200 reports the primary full-thickness graft area on the trunk. Use 15201 only for additional area beyond the amount covered by 15200.
15221Skin graftScalp, arm, or leg; each additional area
Both are additional-area full-thickness graft codes, but 15221 applies to scalp, arms, or legs; 15201 applies to the trunk.
15101Skin graftAdditional area, trunk or limb
15101 reports additional split-thickness graft area. Choose the code family according to whether the graft is split-thickness or full-thickness.

15201 billing questions

When should 15201 be reported instead of 15200?

Use 15200 for the primary full-thickness graft area on the trunk. Add 15201 for each additional 20 square centimeters or part beyond the area covered by 15200.

Can 15201 be billed by itself?

No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with the primary trunk graft procedure, 15200.

How are units determined?

Base units on the additional recipient-site area grafted, counting one unit for each additional 20 square centimeters or part. Document the measured area and do not calculate units from donor-site size.

Is closure of the donor site separately reported?

Direct closure of the donor site is included in the full-thickness graft service. The add-on units describe additional grafted recipient area.

How does the global-period rule affect 15201?

CMS treats 15201 as an add-on reported with its primary procedure, and payment falls within that 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.

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

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 15201PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,505 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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