CPT code 15201: Skin graft, additional trunk area2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
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.
Medicare pays $154.83–$192.58 for 15201 in the office in California, from Chico, CA to San Benito County, CA. 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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On this page 9 sections
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 in California
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
29 payment localities
$154.83 to $192.58
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $155.48 | $63.96 |
| Chico, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| El Centro, CA | $154.87 | $63.35 |
| Fresno, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| Hanford, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $165.33 | $66.55 |
| Madera, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| Marin County, CA | $188.22 | $70.49 |
| Merced, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| Modesto, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| Napa, CA | $178.25 | $68.19 |
| Oxnard, CA | $164.36 | $65.66 |
| Redding, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| Rest of California | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| Riverside, CA | $157.31 | $65.79 |
| Sacramento, CA | $162.18 | $65.07 |
| Salinas, CA | $161.58 | $64.80 |
| San Benito County, CA | $192.58 | $72.17 |
| San Diego, CA | $165.19 | $65.32 |
| San Francisco, CA | $187.96 | $70.23 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $159.02 | $63.92 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $191.52 | $71.11 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $166.61 | $65.15 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $162.13 | $64.77 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $168.27 | $65.72 |
| Stockton, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| Vallejo, CA | $177.87 | $67.82 |
| Visalia, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
| Yuba City, CA | $154.83 | $63.31 |
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
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
| 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
15201 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
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
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