CPT code 15877: Liposuction, trunk2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Suction removal of subcutaneous fat from the trunk is reported for a trunk contouring procedure when Medicare's restricted coverage circumstances are met.
Medicare pays $0.00 for 15877 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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What 15877 covers
Suction lipectomy removes subcutaneous fat from the trunk, including areas such as the abdomen, flanks, or back. A surgeon typically performs it in an operating-room setting. The target is fatty tissue removed by suction, rather than excess skin removed by excision. Medicare payment is restricted to specific circumstances, so the record should establish the clinical indication, trunk site, treatment performed, and support for coverage.
Report 15877 when suction lipectomy targets the trunk; documentation should identify the site, method, and clinical indication. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Do not append modifier 50. 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 15877 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 15877 rate is calculated
Each of 15877’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 · 15877
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 15877
The CMS indicators that decide how 15877 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 15877
Liposuction, trunk
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
15877 without 51 · national office
$0.00
Liposuction, trunk
15877-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$0.00
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%).
15877 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15876Fat removalHead and neck
- Use 15876 for suction lipectomy of the head and neck; 15877 identifies the trunk.
- 15878Suction lipectomyUpper extremity
- Use 15878 for suction lipectomy of the upper extremity; 15877 is for the trunk.
- 15879Suction lipectomyLower extremity
- Use 15879 for suction lipectomy of the lower extremity; 15877 is for the trunk.
- 15830PanniculectomyInfraumbilical skin and tissue
- Code 15830 represents excision of excessive abdominal skin. Code 15877 represents suction removal of trunk fat.
15877 billing questions
How do I distinguish 15877 from the other suction lipectomy codes?
Choose 15877 when suction lipectomy is performed on the trunk. Related codes identify the head and neck, upper extremity, or lower extremity.
Does 15877 describe removal of excess abdominal skin?
No. It describes suction removal of trunk fat; code 15830 describes excision of excessive abdominal skin. Document the tissue removed and the method used.
Is modifier 50 appropriate when both sides of the trunk are treated?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for 15877, so do not append modifier 50.
How does the multiple-procedure rule affect 15877?
For procedures performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard 50% reduction to the others.
What is included in the global period?
The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported with 15877?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. 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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