CPT code 15879: Suction lipectomy, lower extremity2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports suction removal of subcutaneous fat from a lower extremity when the clinical circumstances meet Medicare’s restricted coverage requirements.
Medicare pays $0.00 for 15879 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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On this page 9 sections
What 15879 covers
This service removes subcutaneous fat from a lower extremity using suction cannulas. It may involve areas such as the thigh or lower leg and is typically performed by a plastic surgeon in an outpatient surgical setting. The operative record should identify the treated site and describe the procedure performed; documentation should also support why the service meets the applicable Medicare coverage circumstances.
Medicare lists this service as restricted coverage, so payment is limited to qualifying circumstances. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full; each other procedure is paid 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 15879 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 15879 rate is calculated
Each of 15879’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 · 15879
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 15879
The CMS indicators that decide how 15879 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 15879
Suction lipectomy, lower 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
15879 without 50 · national office
$0.00
Suction lipectomy, lower extremity
15879-50 · 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).
15879 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15877LiposuctionTrunk
- Use 15879 for suction lipectomy of a lower extremity; 15877 describes suction lipectomy of the trunk.
- 15878Suction lipectomyUpper extremity
- Use 15879 for a lower-extremity site and 15878 for an upper-extremity site.
- 15832Thigh liftExcess skin excision
- This code removes subcutaneous fat by suction from a lower extremity. 15832 addresses excision of excessive skin of the thigh.
- 15833Skin excisionLeg
- This code removes subcutaneous fat by suction from a lower extremity. 15833 addresses excision of excessive skin of the leg.
15879 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from suction lipectomy of the trunk?
This code is for suction lipectomy of a lower extremity. Use the trunk code when the treated area is on the trunk rather than the leg or thigh.
Does Medicare cover every lower-extremity suction lipectomy?
No. CMS identifies the service as restricted coverage, with payment only in specific circumstances. The record should support the clinical indication and the circumstances that qualify the service for coverage.
What should the operative note identify?
Document the lower-extremity site treated, the suction-lipectomy procedure performed, and the clinical basis for the service. The documentation should support the applicable Medicare coverage circumstances.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
Report bilateral treatment with modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
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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