CPT code 15610: Flap delay, arms or legs2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports staged surgical preparation of a flap on an arm or leg to improve its blood supply before a later reconstructive transfer.
Medicare pays $363.89–$407.15 for 15610 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont, TX to Austin, TX. 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 15610 covers
This code covers a preparatory operation on a flap intended for later reconstruction of an arm or leg. The surgeon surgically alters or partially sections the planned flap so it can develop a more reliable blood supply before transfer. Plastic and reconstructive surgeons commonly perform this staged work in an operating room when a flap is planned for coverage of a traumatic or surgical defect. The later flap transfer is a distinct reconstructive step, not the delay procedure itself.
Report 15610 when the operative record supports flap preparation on an upper or lower extremity, rather than on another anatomic site. Document the flap location, the preparatory surgical work, and its role in the planned reconstruction. The code has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 15610 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 payment localities
$363.89 to $407.15
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $407.15 | $242.12 |
| Beaumont, TX | $363.89 | $221.94 |
| Brazoria, TX | $386.37 | $231.79 |
| Dallas, TX | $389.02 | $233.67 |
| Fort Worth, TX | $386.25 | $232.46 |
| Galveston, TX | $387.64 | $232.75 |
| Houston, TX | $395.32 | $240.43 |
| Rest of Texas | $375.04 | $227.01 |
How the 15610 rate is calculated
Each of 15610’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 · 15610
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.46
2.46 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.84
8.84 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.42
0.42 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
11.7200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$391.46
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15610
15610 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15610
Flap delay, arms or legs
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.71/0.19 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 15610
Flap delay, 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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
15610 without 51 · national office
$391.46
Flap delay, arms or legs
15610-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$195.73
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%).
15610 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15600Flap delayTrunk site
- 15600 applies to a trunk flap; 15610 is for flap preparation on an arm or leg.
- 15620Flap delayFace, neck, hand, foot, other sites
- 15620 covers its specified face, scalp, neck, axilla, genital, hand, or foot sites. Select 15610 for other arm or leg flap-delay work.
- 15630Flap stagingEyelid, nose, ear, or lip
- 15630 is for delay procedures involving the eye, nose, ear, or lip, rather than an arm or leg.
- 15650Pedicle flap transferDistant donor-to-recipient transfer
- 15650 describes transfer of a skin pedicle flap. 15610 is the preparatory delay procedure before a planned flap reconstruction.
15610 billing questions
When is 15610 selected instead of another flap-delay code?
Use 15610 for flap preparation on an arm or leg. The related delay codes distinguish other anatomic regions, including the trunk, face or neck, and eye, nose, ear, or lip.
Does 15610 report the later flap transfer?
No. It reports the preparatory delay procedure on an extremity flap; the later transfer is a separate reconstructive step.
Can modifier 50 be used when both arms or legs are treated?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Report the service according to the applicable coding instructions for the documented procedures.
What documentation supports reporting 15610?
The operative note should identify the extremity site, describe the surgical preparation or sectioning of the flap, and connect that work to the planned reconstruction.
How does the global period affect postoperative visits?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
When can an assistant-at-surgery be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
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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