CPT code 15822: Upper eyelid surgery, without lid-weighting excess skin2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $471.62 for 15822 nationally in the office and $355.72 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $420.69–$615.35.

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

What 15822 covers

This operation reshapes an upper eyelid, typically through an incision in the lid crease to remove or adjust tissue. Ophthalmic plastic surgeons, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons perform it for upper-lid contour or functional concerns. It may be done on one or both upper eyelids in an outpatient operating room or, in selected cases, an office-based setting.

Report 15822 when the upper-lid service does not meet the distinct 15823 criterion for excess skin weighing down the lid. Document the treated eyelid or eyelids, the clinical reason, relevant findings, and the procedure performed. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued is paid in full and the others at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 15822 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

15822 rates by state

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

How the 15822 rate is calculated

Each of 15822’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 15822

15822 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

15822 compared with similar codes

How to choose

15823Upper eyelid surgeryExcess skin affects lid function

Both address the upper eyelid. Choose 15823 when excess skin weighs down the lid and the procedure meets its specific criterion; otherwise consider 15822.

15820Lower eyelid surgeryLower eyelid

15820 is for lower-lid blepharoplasty without the extensive herniated fat distinction. 15822 is for the upper eyelid.

15821Lower eyelid surgeryProminent fat-pad prolapse

15821 is for lower-lid blepharoplasty involving extensive herniated fat. 15822 addresses the upper eyelid.

Codes related to 15822

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