CPT code 15826: Facial rhytidectomy, glabellar region2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Surgical correction of frown lines between the eyebrows, reported for procedures focused on the glabellar region when Medicare coverage criteria are met.
Medicare pays $0.00 for 15826 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 15826 covers
CPT 15826 represents surgery focused on the glabellar region—the area between the eyebrows where frown lines form. A plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon performs the procedure to reduce those lines. It is distinct from broader forehead lifting and from procedures targeting the cheek, jawline, or neck. The operative record should identify the anatomical target and work performed.
CMS restricts payment to specific circumstances, so documentation should establish the circumstances supporting coverage. Select this code based on the operative site and documented procedure. The code has a 0-day global period, which includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. A bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires medical-necessity documentation; 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 15826 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 15826 rate is calculated
Each of 15826’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 · 15826
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 15826
The CMS indicators that decide how 15826 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 15826
Facial rhytidectomy, glabellar region
| 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
15826 without 50 · national office
$0.00
Facial rhytidectomy, glabellar region
15826-50 · 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).
15826 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15824Forehead liftForehead rhytidectomy
- Use 15826 for surgery focused on frown lines in the glabellar area; 15824 is for rhytidectomy focused on the forehead.
- 15828FaceliftCheek, chin, and neck
- Use 15828 when the procedure targets the cheek, chin, and neck rather than the glabellar region.
- 15829FaceliftSMAS flap technique
- Use 15829 when the documented rhytidectomy includes a SMAS flap; 15826 identifies work focused on the glabellar area.
15826 billing questions
When should 15826 be chosen instead of 15824?
Choose 15826 when the operative focus is the glabellar area between the eyebrows. Code 15824 addresses rhytidectomy focused on the forehead more broadly.
Will Medicare pay for every procedure reported with 15826?
No. CMS classifies coverage as restricted, so payment is available only in specific circumstances supported by the record.
Is same-day preoperative or postoperative care separately reported?
The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care for this procedure.
How does the multiple-procedure rule affect 15826?
When it is performed in the same session as other procedures, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%.
Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery claim be used?
CMS pays a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity.
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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