CPT code 15833: Skin excision, leg2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports surgical removal of redundant skin and underlying tissue from the leg, such as after major weight loss or when excess tissue causes functional problems.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 15833 in Florida.
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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What 15833 covers
This procedure removes redundant skin and associated underlying tissue from the leg. Plastic surgeons commonly perform it for patients with substantial excess tissue after major weight loss or when skin folds contribute to problems such as irritation or restricted movement. The operative site must be the leg; the thigh is reported separately under its own site-specific code.
Select the code from the treated anatomy and document the location, extent of excess tissue, and operative work. Medicare classifies it as major surgery with a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is 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 15833 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Unavailable | $860.37 |
| Miami, FL | Unavailable | $921.63 |
| Rest of Florida | Unavailable | $819.17 |
How the 15833 rate is calculated
Each of 15833’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 · 15833
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work11.60
11.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.14
10.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.15
2.15 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
23.8900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$797.95
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15833
15833 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15833
Skin excision, leg
| 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) | 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. |
| 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 · 15833
Skin excision, leg
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
15833 without 50 · national facility
$797.95
Skin excision, leg
15833-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,196.93
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).
15833 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15832Thigh liftExcess skin excision
- This code applies to the leg; 15832 applies to the thigh. Choose by the operative site documented in the record.
- 15834Skin excisionHip region
- Use 15834 when the treated site is the hip rather than the leg.
- 15839Excess skin excisionOther anatomical area
- Use 15839 for an area without a more specific site code; use this code when the excision is on the leg.
15833 billing questions
How do I distinguish this from 15832?
Use 15833 for the leg site and 15832 for the thigh. Document the actual operative location rather than relying on a general use of the word “leg.”
Does the 90-day global include related postoperative care?
Yes. The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%.
Can an assistant surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only when the record documents medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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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