CPT code 15820: Lower eyelid surgery, lower eyelid2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $588.19 for 15820 nationally in the office and $450.58 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $528.52–$765.89.

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

What 15820 covers

This procedure surgically reshapes the lower eyelid, commonly to address loose or redundant skin and age-related fullness. It is typically performed by an ophthalmic plastic surgeon, plastic surgeon, or other qualified physician in an outpatient operating facility. The operative note should identify the lower eyelid treated and describe the findings and work performed.

Select this code for lower-lid surgery without the extensive herniated fat-pad feature that distinguishes 15821. Document laterality, the clinical indication, relevant skin or contour findings, and the procedure’s extent. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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 15820 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

15820 rates by state

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

How the 15820 rate is calculated

Each of 15820’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 15820

15820 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

15820 compared with similar codes

How to choose

15821Lower eyelid surgeryProminent fat-pad prolapse

Choose 15821 when the lower-lid procedure involves an extensive herniated fat pad; 15820 is for lower-lid surgery without that feature.

15822Upper eyelid surgeryWithout lid-weighting excess skin

15822 treats the upper eyelid. Use 15820 when the operative site is the lower eyelid.

15823Upper eyelid surgeryExcess skin affects lid function

15823 addresses excessive skin of the upper eyelid; 15820 is for surgical reshaping of the lower eyelid.

Codes related to 15820

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates