CPT code 15878: Suction lipectomy, upper extremity2026 Medicare rate & RVUs
Report this service for suction removal of subcutaneous fat from an upper extremity when the clinical indication meets Medicare’s restricted coverage criteria.
Medicare pays $0.00 for 15878 nationally in the office and $0.00 in a hospital or facility.
Medicare rate · 15878
Suction lipectomy, upper extremity
- Work RVUs
- 0
- Total RVUs
- 0.00
- Global days
- 000
National rate · 2026
$0.00
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 15878 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →
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 10 sections
What 15878 covers
This procedure removes localized subcutaneous fat from an upper extremity using suction through a cannula. A surgeon performs it through small access incisions to treat an upper-arm, forearm, or other upper-extremity site. It addresses fat removal, not excision of redundant skin; the operative report should identify the treated site and describe the suction technique and extent of treatment.
Medicare marks this code as restricted coverage, so documentation should establish the qualifying medical indication rather than assume cosmetic contouring is payable. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. 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 15878 pays more and less
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
109 of 109 payment localities
15878 rates by state
Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.
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Local rates. Clear comparisons.
Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.
$0.00
$0.00
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View every state and territory as a table
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $0.00 | 1 |
| AL | $0.00 | 1 |
| AR | $0.00 | 1 |
| AZ | $0.00 | 1 |
| CA | $0.00 | 29 |
| CO | $0.00 | 1 |
| CT | $0.00 | 1 |
| DC | $0.00 | 1 |
| DE | $0.00 | 1 |
| FL | $0.00 | 3 |
| GA | $0.00 | 2 |
| GU | $0.00 | 1 |
| HI | $0.00 | 1 |
| IA | $0.00 | 1 |
| ID | $0.00 | 1 |
| IL | $0.00 | 4 |
| IN | $0.00 | 1 |
| KS | $0.00 | 1 |
| KY | $0.00 | 1 |
| LA | $0.00 | 2 |
| MA | $0.00 | 2 |
| MD | $0.00 | 3 |
| ME | $0.00 | 2 |
| MI | $0.00 | 2 |
| MN | $0.00 | 1 |
| MO | $0.00 | 3 |
| MS | $0.00 | 1 |
| MT | $0.00 | 1 |
| NC | $0.00 | 1 |
| ND | $0.00 | 1 |
| NE | $0.00 | 1 |
| NH | $0.00 | 1 |
| NJ | $0.00 | 2 |
| NM | $0.00 | 1 |
| NV | $0.00 | 1 |
| NY | $0.00 | 5 |
| OH | $0.00 | 1 |
| OK | $0.00 | 1 |
| OR | $0.00 | 2 |
| PA | $0.00 | 2 |
| PR | $0.00 | 1 |
| RI | $0.00 | 1 |
| SC | $0.00 | 1 |
| SD | $0.00 | 1 |
| TN | $0.00 | 1 |
| TX | $0.00 | 8 |
| UT | $0.00 | 1 |
| VA | $0.00 | 2 |
| VI | $0.00 | 1 |
| VT | $0.00 | 1 |
| WA | $0.00 | 2 |
| WI | $0.00 | 1 |
| WV | $0.00 | 1 |
| WY | $0.00 | 1 |
How the 15878 rate is calculated
Each of 15878’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 · 15878
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 15878
The CMS indicators that decide how 15878 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 15878
Suction lipectomy, upper extremity
| 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
15878 without 50 · national office
$0.00
Suction lipectomy, upper extremity
15878-50 · 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).
15878 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15877LiposuctionTrunk
- Choose 15878 for suction removal of fat from an upper extremity; 15877 describes suction lipectomy of the trunk.
- 15879Suction lipectomyLower extremity
- Choose 15878 for an upper-extremity site and 15879 for a lower-extremity site.
- 15836Skin excisionUpper arm
- 15878 removes subcutaneous fat by suction. 15836 describes excision of excessive skin of the arm.
15878 billing questions
When should 15878 be chosen over an arm skin-excision code?
Use 15878 when the service suctions subcutaneous fat from an upper extremity. An arm skin-excision code describes removal of excess skin instead.
What documentation supports reporting 15878?
Document the medical indication, the upper-extremity site treated, and the suction procedure performed. Because Medicare coverage is restricted, the record should support why the service qualifies for coverage.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
For bilateral upper-extremity treatment, report modifier 50; CMS specifies payment at 150%.
How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect 15878?
When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. The reduction depends on the procedures’ relative values.
Is same-day postoperative care included?
Yes. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.
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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