CPT code 15824: Forehead lift, forehead rhytidectomy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Forehead rhytidectomy surgically lifts and repositions forehead tissues; report it when this specific procedure is performed for a Medicare-recognized covered circumstance.
Medicare pays $0.00 for 15824 in the office in California (Bakersfield, 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 15824 covers
A forehead rhytidectomy surgically lifts and repositions forehead tissues to address forehead aging changes. Plastic surgeons and facial plastic surgeons typically perform it in an operating room or outpatient surgical setting. The operative approach can vary, so the record should identify the treated area and describe the work performed rather than relying on a general label such as “facial rejuvenation.”
CMS classifies this service as restricted coverage: payment is limited to specific circumstances. The documentation should explain the clinical indication and findings that support a covered circumstance; cosmetic rejuvenation alone is not a basis for Medicare payment. CMS lists zero work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 applies to a bilateral procedure, paid at 150%. 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 15824 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 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Chico, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| El Centro, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Fresno, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Hanford, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Madera, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Marin County, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Merced, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Modesto, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Napa, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Oxnard, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Redding, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Rest of California | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Riverside, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Sacramento, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Salinas, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| San Benito County, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| San Diego, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| San Francisco, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Stockton, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Vallejo, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Visalia, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Yuba City, CA | $0.00 | $0.00 |
How the 15824 rate is calculated
Each of 15824’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 · 15824
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.0000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$0.00
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15824
The CMS indicators that decide how 15824 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 15824
Forehead lift, forehead rhytidectomy
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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) | 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
15824 without 50 · national office
$0.00
Forehead lift, forehead rhytidectomy
15824-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$0.00
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).
15824 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15825Neck liftPlatysma tightening
- Use 15825 for neck rhytidectomy with platysmal tightening; 15824 is for forehead rhytidectomy.
- 15826Facial rhytidectomyGlabellar region
- Use 15826 for rhytidectomy directed to glabellar forehead lines. Code 15824 describes the broader forehead-lifting service.
- 15822Upper eyelid surgeryWithout lid-weighting excess skin
- 15822 describes upper eyelid surgery, not forehead lifting. When both areas are operated on, the record should distinguish the eyelid work from the forehead procedure.
- 15828FaceliftCheek, chin, and neck
- 15828 is for rhytidectomy involving the cheek, chin, and neck; 15824 is specific to the forehead.
15824 billing questions
When is forehead rhytidectomy covered by Medicare?
CMS classifies it as restricted coverage, payable only in specific circumstances. Document the indication and findings that support a covered circumstance; cosmetic rejuvenation alone does not establish coverage.
How does 15824 differ from 15826?
15824 addresses a forehead rhytidectomy, while 15826 targets rhytidectomy for glabellar forehead lines. Use the code that matches the operative work and treated area.
Does the 0-day global include same-day care?
Yes. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the procedure's 0-day global period.
How is a bilateral procedure reported?
Use modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure; CMS pays it at 150%. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%.
Can an assistant surgeon be paid for this procedure?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only when medical necessity is documented. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery 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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