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CPT code 15839: Excess skin excision, other anatomical area2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Iowa

Reports surgical removal of redundant skin and underlying tissue, including lipectomy, from an anatomical area without a dedicated site-specific code.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality524 Medicare services in 2024

In Iowa, Medicare pays $873.11 for 15839 in the office and $619.75 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$873.11Office (non-facility)
$619.75Hospital or facility
−9.0%vs the national office rate ($958.94)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 15839 nationwide

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

We’ll open 15839 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Iowa
  2. What 15839 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 15839 covers

A plastic or reconstructive surgeon removes excess skin and underlying subcutaneous tissue from an area not identified by a dedicated site-specific excision code. The operation may include removal of some underlying fat as part of contouring the treated area. The operative report should identify the actual anatomical site and describe the tissue removed; “other area” is not a substitute for a code that specifically names the treated site.

Report this code when the documented site fits the other-area category rather than a site-specific code such as the abdomen, thigh, or arm codes. Documentation should describe the excess tissue, the site and extent of excision, and the clinical indication. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of 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.

How Iowa compares for 15839

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 15839 runs from $849.78 in Arkansas to $1,210.83 in San Benito County, CA. Iowa pays $873.11. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

15839 in Iowa vs other payment areas
  1. Iowa · this page$873.11
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$1,052.40+$179.29
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$1,083.03+$209.92
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$1,080.16+$207.05
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$1,047.58+$174.47
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$1,108.10+$234.99
  7. Alaska · Alaska$1,136.92+$263.81

Other areas in Iowa first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

15839 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$861.91$619.62
ArkansasArkansas$849.78$611.93
ArizonaArizona$932.53$664.22
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$993.27$689.79
Chico, CACalifornia$987.88$684.40
El Centro, CACalifornia$988.20$684.73
Fresno, CACalifornia$987.88$684.40
Hanford, CACalifornia$987.88$684.40

15839 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$849.78

$1,136.92

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
15839 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$1,136.921
AL$861.911
AR$849.781
AZ$932.531
CA$987.88–$1,210.8329
CO$984.281
CT$1,021.861
DC$1,083.031
DE$947.511
FL$967.06–$1,080.163
GA$911.65–$981.762
GU$1,007.491
HI$1,007.491
IA$873.111
ID$880.771
IL$947.17–$1,047.584
IN$885.481
KS$873.931
KY$892.141
LA$892.70–$935.112
MA$980.61–$1,073.052
MD$963.70–$1,083.033
ME$890.38–$930.182
MI$919.19–$983.832
MN$929.581
MO$881.03–$932.553
MS$865.321
MT$958.811
NC$898.651
ND$920.651
NE$876.301
NH$973.531
NJ$1,029.70–$1,073.262
NM$926.041
NV$948.731
NY$912.17–$1,140.495
OH$911.391
OK$885.451
OR$937.58–$1,009.232
PA$910.09–$1,000.192
PR$964.051
RI$976.711
SC$907.281
SD$916.141
TN$878.821
TX$904.64–$984.328
UT$919.221
VA$930.60–$1,083.032
VI$964.051
VT$921.571
WA$977.26–$1,089.652
WI$891.131
WV$914.351
WY$942.181

See 15839 in every payment locality

How the 15839 rate is calculated

Each of 15839’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 · 15839

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work10.24

10.24 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense16.54

16.54 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.93

1.93 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

28.7100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$958.94

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

The exact Iowa inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

1,578

Code
15839
Physician work
10.24
Practice expense
16.54
Malpractice
1.93

GPCI2026.csv

53

Locality
Iowa
Physician work
1.000
Practice expense
0.915
Malpractice
0.397
Office calculation for 15839 in Iowa
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work10.24× 1.00010.2400
Practice expense16.54× 0.91515.1341
Malpractice1.93× 0.3970.7662
Total RVUs26.1403
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Iowa$873.11

Office: (10.24 × 1 + 16.54 × 0.915 + 1.93 × 0.397) × $33.4009 = $873.11

Facility: (10.24 × 1 + 8.25 × 0.915 + 1.93 × 0.397) × $33.4009 = $619.75

Open 15839 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 15839

15839 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 15839

Excess skin excision, other anatomical area

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.71/0.19Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 15839

Excess skin excision, other anatomical area

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

15839 without 51 · national office

$958.94

Excess skin excision, other anatomical area

15839-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$479.47

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

Codes related to 15839

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 15839
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Iowa
Same family
15830Panniculectomy, infraumbilical skin and tissueSite-specific excess-skin excision code for the abdomen.No office rate
15832Thigh lift, excess skin excisionSite-specific excess-skin excision code for the thigh.No office rate
15836Skin excision, upper armSite-specific excess-skin excision code for the arm.No office rate
15837Skin excision, forearm or handSite-specific excess-skin excision code for the forearm or hand.$854.06

How 15839 has changed in Iowa

15839 · Office / nonfacility

$873.11

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $73.47 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $799.64 to $873.11 (9.2%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $799.64changed to$873.11

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 10.50 changed to 10.24
    • Practice expense RVU 14.62 changed to 16.54
    • Malpractice RVU 1.91 changed to 1.93
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.913 changed to 0.915
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.457 changed to 0.397

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $818.95changed to$799.64

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 14.48 changed to 14.62
    • Malpractice RVU 1.93 changed to 1.91

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $805.58changed to$818.95

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $827.02changed to$805.58

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 14.35 changed to 14.48
    • Malpractice RVU 1.92 changed to 1.93
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.910 changed to 0.913
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.441 changed to 0.457

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $832.75changed to$827.02

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 14.05 changed to 14.35
    • Malpractice RVU 1.93 changed to 1.92
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.907 changed to 0.910
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.425 changed to 0.441

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $834.48changed to$832.75

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 13.91 changed to 14.05
    • Malpractice RVU 1.88 changed to 1.93

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $834.86changed to$834.48

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 13.04 changed to 13.91
    • Malpractice RVU 1.90 changed to 1.88
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.424 changed to 0.425

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $828.93changed to$834.86

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 12.92 changed to 13.04
    • Malpractice RVU 1.85 changed to 1.90
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.423 changed to 0.424

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $825.31changed to$828.93

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 12.86 changed to 12.92
    • Malpractice RVU 1.80 changed to 1.85

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $822.39changed to$825.31

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 12.85 changed to 12.86
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.902 changed to 0.907
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.458 changed to 0.423

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $820.80changed to$822.39

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 12.86 changed to 12.85
    • Malpractice RVU 1.83 changed to 1.80
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.896 changed to 0.902
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.493 changed to 0.458

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $821.45changed to$820.80

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 12.81 changed to 12.86
    • Malpractice RVU 1.79 changed to 1.83

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $817.36changed to$821.45

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $815.03changed to$817.36

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 12.75 changed to 12.81
    • Malpractice RVU 1.85 changed to 1.79
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.892 changed to 0.896
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.475 changed to 0.493

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $800.63changed to$815.03

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 13.70 changed to 12.75
    • Malpractice RVU 1.93 changed to 1.85
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.887 changed to 0.892
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.456 changed to 0.475

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $800.63

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$873.11$619.75RVU26D
2026-07-01$873.11$619.75RVU26C
2026-04-01$873.11$619.75RVU26B
2026-01-01$873.11$619.75RVU26A
2025-10-01$799.64$664.08RVU25D
2025-07-01$799.64$664.08RVU25C
2025-04-01$799.64$664.08RVU25B
2025-01-01$799.64$664.08RVU25A
2024-10-01$818.95$677.63RVU24D
2024-07-01$818.95$677.63RVU24C
2024-04-01$818.95$677.63RVU24B
2024-03-09$818.95$677.63RVU24AR
2024-01-01$805.58$666.57RVU24A
2023-10-01$827.02$684.56RVU23D
2023-07-01$827.02$684.56RVU23C
2023-04-01$827.02$684.56RVU23B
2023-01-01$827.02$684.56RVU23A
2022-10-01$832.75$687.74RVU22D
2022-07-01$832.75$687.74RVU22C
2022-04-01$832.75$687.74RVU22B
2022-01-01$832.75$687.74RVU22A
2021-10-01$834.48$688.27RVU21D
2021-07-01$834.48$688.27RVU21C
2021-04-01$834.48$688.27RVU21B
2021-01-01$834.48$688.27RVU21A
2020-10-01$834.86$697.38RVU20D
2020-07-01$834.86$697.38RVU20C
2020-04-01$834.86$697.38RVU20B
2020-01-01$834.86$697.38RVU20A
2019-10-01$828.93$694.26RVU19D
2019-07-01$828.93$694.26RVU19C
2019-04-01$828.93$694.26RVU19B
2019-01-01$828.93$694.26RVU19A
2018-10-01$825.31$693.72RVU18D
2018-07-01$825.31$693.72RVU18C
2018-04-01$825.31$693.72RVU18B
2018-01-01$825.31$693.72RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$822.39$693.55RVU17D
2017-07-01$822.39$693.55RVU17C
2017-04-01$822.39$693.55RVU17B
2017-01-01$822.39$693.55RVU17A
2016-10-01$820.80$692.16RVU16D
2016-07-01$820.80$692.16RVU16C
2016-04-01$820.80$692.16RVU16B
2016-01-01$820.80$692.16RVU16A
2015-10-01$821.45$692.98RVU15D
2015-07-01$821.45$692.98RVU15C
2015-04-01$817.36$689.54RVU15B
2015-01-01$817.36$689.54RVU15A
2014-10-01$815.03$687.85RVU14D
2014-07-01$815.03$687.85RVU14C
2014-04-01$815.03$687.85RVU14B
2014-01-01$815.03$687.85RVU14A
2013-10-01$800.63$670.56RVU13D
2013-07-01$800.63$670.56RVU13C
2013-04-01$800.63$670.56RVU13B
2013-01-01$800.63$670.56RVU13AR

Price 15839 for an earlier date of service

Where the Iowa rate applies

Iowa is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 1026 cities and communities in Iowa. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Ackley
  • Ackworth
  • Adair
  • Adel
  • Afton
  • Agency
  • Ainsworth
  • Akron

Browse all communities in Iowa

15839 billing questions

When should this code be chosen instead of a site-specific excess-skin code?

Use it when the excised skin and subcutaneous tissue are from an area without its own site-specific code. If the treated site is the abdomen, thigh, or arm, consider the corresponding dedicated code instead.

Does the service include removal of underlying fat?

The service includes removal of subcutaneous tissue, including lipectomy, as part of the excess-tissue excision. Document the tissue and anatomical site treated.

Can modifier 50 be reported for treatment on both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 should not be used.

How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect payment?

For procedures performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

Can an assistant or another surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of 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
RVUs for 15839PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,578 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for IowaGPCI2026.csv, line 53 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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