CPT code 15830: Panniculectomy, infraumbilical skin and tissue2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California

CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 15830 in California.

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

What 15830 covers

A surgeon removes an overhanging fold of infraumbilical abdominal skin and subcutaneous tissue, often with associated fat, in a panniculectomy. The procedure is commonly considered when a large pannus contributes to recurrent skin irritation or infection, hygiene difficulty, or limits movement. Plastic and general surgeons may perform it in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting. Medicare pays only in specific circumstances.

Report the service for the operative work removing excessive infraumbilical abdominal skin and tissue. The record should describe the pannus, its effects on the patient, relevant treatment history, and the extent of excision. When the operation also includes the additional abdominal work represented by 15847, report that add-on with 15830. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 15830 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

How the 15830 rate is calculated

Each of 15830’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 15830

15830 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 51

15830 compared with similar codes

How to choose

15847Abdominoplasty add-onUmbilical repositioning and plication

15830 is the infraumbilical abdominal excision service. Report 15847 as an add-on when the operation also includes its additional abdominal work, rather than using it alone.

15832Thigh liftExcess skin excision

Use 15832 for excessive skin excision at the thigh; 15830 is the infraumbilical abdominal-site code.

15834Skin excisionHip region

Use 15834 for excessive skin excision at the hip. The operative site, not the general purpose of removing excess skin, distinguishes it from 15830.

Codes related to 15830

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