CPT code 15822: Upper eyelid surgery, without lid-weighting excess skin2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Upper eyelid blepharoplasty reshapes an upper lid when the operation does not meet the separate criterion for excess skin weighing down the lid.
Medicare pays $495.86–$615.35 for 15822 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 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 in California
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
29 payment localities
$495.86 to $615.35
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $497.35 | $370.32 |
| Chico, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| El Centro, CA | $495.94 | $368.91 |
| Fresno, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| Hanford, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $528.09 | $390.98 |
| Madera, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| Marin County, CA | $602.07 | $438.65 |
| Merced, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| Modesto, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| Napa, CA | $570.01 | $417.25 |
| Oxnard, CA | $525.16 | $388.16 |
| Redding, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| Rest of California | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| Riverside, CA | $501.20 | $374.17 |
| Sacramento, CA | $519.14 | $384.35 |
| Salinas, CA | $517.17 | $382.84 |
| San Benito County, CA | $615.35 | $448.22 |
| San Diego, CA | $528.40 | $389.79 |
| San Francisco, CA | $601.52 | $438.10 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $508.97 | $376.96 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $613.07 | $445.94 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $532.75 | $391.93 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $518.86 | $383.72 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $538.06 | $395.74 |
| Stockton, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| Vallejo, CA | $569.21 | $416.45 |
| Visalia, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
| Yuba City, CA | $495.86 | $368.83 |
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.
How the rate is built · 15822
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work4.50
4.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.13
9.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.49
0.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
14.1200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$471.62
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15822
15822 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15822
Upper eyelid surgery, without lid-weighting excess skin
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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. |
| 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 · 15822
Upper eyelid surgery, without lid-weighting excess skin
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
15822 without 50 · national office
$471.62
Upper eyelid surgery, without lid-weighting excess skin
15822-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$707.43
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
15822 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
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.
15822 billing questions
When should 15823 be reported instead?
Use 15823 when excess upper-lid skin weighs down the lid and the procedure meets that code’s criterion. Use 15822 for upper-lid blepharoplasty that does not meet that distinction.
Can 15822 be reported for both upper eyelids?
Yes. CMS lists bilateral payment with modifier 50 at 150%.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can 15822 be reported with a lower-lid blepharoplasty?
It may be reported with a lower-lid procedure when both upper and lower lids are operated on during the same session. Choose the lower-lid code based on the service performed there.
How does Medicare handle multiple procedures in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedures are paid at 50% under the standard multiple procedure reduction.
Is an assistant surgeon payable for 15822?
CMS lists a statutory restriction on assistant-at-surgery payment 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
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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