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CPT code 17260: Skin lesion destruction, trunk, arms, legs, 0.5 cm or less2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Queens, NY

Destruction of a malignant skin lesion measuring 0.5 cm or less on the trunk, arms, or legs, selected by lesion size and anatomic site.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality23.1K Medicare services in 2024

In Queens, NY, Medicare pays $111.48 for 17260 in the office and $66.87 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$111.48Office (non-facility)
$66.87Hospital or facility
+15.1%vs the national office rate ($96.86)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 17260 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 17260 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Queens, NY
  2. What 17260 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 17260 covers

Code 17260 covers destruction of a malignant skin lesion on the trunk, an arm, or a leg when the lesion measures 0.5 cm or less. Methods may include electrosurgery, cryosurgery, laser treatment, chemical destruction, or surgical curettement. Dermatologists and other clinicians who treat skin cancers commonly perform the service in an office or outpatient facility. The code represents treatment of the lesion, rather than removal by an excision technique.

Select the code using the lesion’s anatomic group and measured diameter, not the destruction method. Document the malignant diagnosis, exact site, lesion measurement, method, and each lesion treated. Report the appropriate code for each treated lesion. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces payment for the others by 50%. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during that period. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; assistant-at-surgery services are not paid, and co-surgeon and team-surgery payment 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 Queens, NY compares for 17260

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 17260 runs from $86.71 in Arkansas to $126.83 in San Benito County, CA. Queens, NY pays $111.48. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

17260 in Queens, NY vs other payment areas
  1. Queens, NY · this page$111.48
  2. Manhattan, NY · New York$110.61−$0.87
  3. NYC suburbs and Long Island, NY · New York$113.03+$1.55
  4. Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NY · New York$104.80−$6.68
  5. Rest of New York · New York$92.93−$18.55
  6. Los Angeles, CA · California$108.74−$2.74
  7. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$110.04−$1.44

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

Every other payment area

17260 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Miami, FLFlorida$103.52$64.23
Chicago, ILIllinois$100.86$62.92
AlaskaAlaska$115.44$75.25
AlabamaAlabama$87.85$54.83
ArkansasArkansas$86.71$54.29
ArizonaArizona$94.53$57.96
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$102.44$61.08
Chico, CACalifornia$102.18$60.82

17260 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.

$86.71

$115.44

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

View every state and territory as a table
17260 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$115.441
AL$87.851
AR$86.711
AZ$94.531
CA$102.18–$126.8329
CO$100.671
CT$102.891
DC$110.041
DE$96.001
FL$95.44–$103.523
GA$90.59–$98.502
GU$104.341
HI$104.341
IA$89.911
ID$90.431
IL$92.90–$100.864
IN$90.911
KS$89.511
KY$89.671
LA$89.53–$93.522
MA$100.15–$110.042
MD$97.71–$110.043
ME$90.83–$95.312
MI$91.74–$96.502
MN$96.801
MO$88.13–$93.853
MS$87.441
MT$96.861
NC$91.691
ND$95.281
NE$90.371
NH$99.101
NJ$104.15–$109.072
NM$92.191
NV$96.481
NY$92.93–$113.035
OH$91.421
OK$89.551
OR$95.82–$103.652
PA$91.57–$100.522
PR$97.511
RI$99.241
SC$91.691
SD$95.091
TN$89.911
TX$91.02–$100.268
UT$92.821
VA$95.01–$110.042
VI$97.511
VT$94.911
WA$99.96–$112.202
WI$92.381
WV$89.791
WY$96.171

See 17260 in every payment locality

How the 17260 rate is calculated

Each of 17260’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 · 17260

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.94

0.94 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.88

1.88 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.08

0.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

2.9000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$96.86

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

The exact Queens, NY inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

1,628

Code
17260
Physician work
0.94
Practice expense
1.88
Malpractice
0.08

GPCI2026.csv

81

Locality
Queens, NY
Physician work
1.064
Practice expense
1.182
Malpractice
1.442
Office calculation for 17260 in Queens, NY
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work0.94× 1.0641.0002
Practice expense1.88× 1.1822.2222
Malpractice0.08× 1.4420.1154
Total RVUs3.3377
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Queens, NY$111.48

Office: (0.94 × 1.064 + 1.88 × 1.182 + 0.08 × 1.442) × $33.4009 = $111.48

Facility: (0.94 × 1.064 + 0.75 × 1.182 + 0.08 × 1.442) × $33.4009 = $66.87

Open 17260 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 17260

17260 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 17260

Skin lesion destruction, trunk, arms, legs, 0.5 cm or less

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period010Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.80/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 17260

Skin lesion destruction, trunk, arms, legs, 0.5 cm or less

10-day global period ends

Oct 11, 2026

Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.

SurgeryVisit
Sep 28, 2026Oct 14, 2026

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

17260 without 51 · national office

$96.86

Skin lesion destruction, trunk, arms, legs, 0.5 cm or less

17260-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$48.43

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 17260

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

Codes related to 17260
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Queens, NY
Same family
17261Malignant lesion destruction, trunk, arms, or legs; 0.6–1.0 cmSame site group; applies when the malignant lesion measures 0.6 to 1.0 cm.$166.90
17262Lesion destruction, trunk, arms, or legs; 1.1–2.0 cmSame site group; applies to a malignant lesion measuring 1.1 to 2.0 cm.$200.42
17270Lesion destruction, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitaliaSame destruction service for the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia, at the smallest size level.$169.56
17280Lesion destruction, small facial or mucosal lesionSame destruction service for the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membrane, at the smallest size level.$159.80

How 17260 has changed in Queens, NY

17260 · Office / nonfacility

$111.48

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $1.31 lower than on 2025-10-01, moving from $112.79 to $111.48 (1.2%).

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

    $112.79changed to$111.48

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 0.96 changed to 0.94
    • Practice expense RVU 1.94 changed to 1.88
    • Malpractice RVU 0.10 changed to 0.08
    • Work GPCI 1.065 changed to 1.064
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.195 changed to 1.182
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.462 changed to 1.442

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $116.47changed to$112.79

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 1.95 changed to 1.94

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $114.57changed to$116.47

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $121.18changed to$114.57

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 1.94 changed to 1.95
    • Work GPCI 1.061 changed to 1.065
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.212 changed to 1.195
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.061 changed to 1.462

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $124.54changed to$121.18

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 1.91 changed to 1.94
    • Malpractice RVU 0.09 changed to 0.10
    • Work GPCI 1.056 changed to 1.061
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.228 changed to 1.212
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.661 changed to 2.061

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $123.00changed to$124.54

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 1.85 changed to 1.91

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $118.33changed to$123.00

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 1.69 changed to 1.85
    • Work GPCI 1.054 changed to 1.056
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.214 changed to 1.228
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.391 changed to 2.661

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $116.73changed to$118.33

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 1.61 changed to 1.69
    • Malpractice RVU 0.14 changed to 0.09
    • Work GPCI 1.052 changed to 1.054
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.200 changed to 1.214
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.121 changed to 2.391

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $117.03changed to$116.73

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 1.62 changed to 1.61

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $115.53changed to$117.03

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 1.59 changed to 1.62
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.151 changed to 2.121

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $114.92changed to$115.53

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 1.58 changed to 1.59
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.199 changed to 1.200
    • Malpractice GPCI 2.181 changed to 2.151

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $114.20changed to$114.92

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 1.59 changed to 1.58
    • Malpractice RVU 0.12 changed to 0.14

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $113.63changed to$114.20

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $109.62changed to$113.63

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 1.54 changed to 1.59
    • Malpractice RVU 0.11 changed to 0.12
    • Work GPCI 1.057 changed to 1.052
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.197 changed to 1.199
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.836 changed to 2.181

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $111.52changed to$109.62

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 1.74 changed to 1.54
    • Malpractice RVU 0.12 changed to 0.11
    • Work GPCI 1.062 changed to 1.057
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.195 changed to 1.197
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.491 changed to 1.836

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $111.52

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$111.48$66.87RVU26D
2026-07-01$111.48$66.87RVU26C
2026-04-01$111.48$66.87RVU26B
2026-01-01$111.48$66.87RVU26A
2025-10-01$112.79$79.55RVU25D
2025-07-01$112.79$79.55RVU25C
2025-04-01$112.79$79.55RVU25B
2025-01-01$112.79$79.55RVU25A
2024-10-01$116.47$81.07RVU24D
2024-07-01$116.47$81.07RVU24C
2024-04-01$116.47$81.07RVU24B
2024-03-09$116.47$81.07RVU24AR
2024-01-01$114.57$79.74RVU24A
2023-10-01$121.18$84.21RVU23D
2023-07-01$121.18$84.21RVU23C
2023-04-01$121.18$84.21RVU23B
2023-01-01$121.18$84.21RVU23A
2022-10-01$124.54$86.29RVU22D
2022-07-01$124.54$86.29RVU22C
2022-04-01$124.54$86.29RVU22B
2022-01-01$124.54$86.29RVU22A
2021-10-01$123.00$86.15RVU21D
2021-07-01$123.00$86.15RVU21C
2021-04-01$123.00$86.15RVU21B
2021-01-01$123.00$86.15RVU21A
2020-10-01$118.33$85.91RVU20D
2020-07-01$118.33$85.91RVU20C
2020-04-01$118.33$85.91RVU20B
2020-01-01$118.33$85.91RVU20A
2019-10-01$116.73$87.32RVU19D
2019-07-01$116.73$87.32RVU19C
2019-04-01$116.73$87.32RVU19B
2019-01-01$116.73$87.32RVU19A
2018-10-01$117.03$86.36RVU18D
2018-07-01$117.03$86.36RVU18C
2018-04-01$117.03$86.36RVU18B
2018-01-01$117.03$86.36RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$115.53$86.67RVU17D
2017-07-01$115.53$86.67RVU17C
2017-04-01$115.53$86.67RVU17B
2017-01-01$115.53$86.67RVU17A
2016-10-01$114.92$86.16RVU16D
2016-07-01$114.92$86.16RVU16C
2016-04-01$114.92$86.16RVU16B
2016-01-01$114.92$86.16RVU16A
2015-10-01$114.20$84.90RVU15D
2015-07-01$114.20$84.90RVU15C
2015-04-01$113.63$84.48RVU15B
2015-01-01$113.63$84.48RVU15A
2014-10-01$109.62$81.75RVU14D
2014-07-01$109.62$81.75RVU14C
2014-04-01$109.62$81.75RVU14B
2014-01-01$109.62$81.75RVU14A
2013-10-01$111.52$81.43RVU13D
2013-07-01$111.52$81.43RVU13C
2013-04-01$111.52$81.43RVU13B
2013-01-01$111.52$81.43RVU13AR

Price 17260 for an earlier date of service

Where the Queens, NY rate applies

Queens, NY is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 1 cities and communities in New York. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

Browse all communities in New York

17260 billing questions

When should 17260 be used instead of 17261?

Use 17260 for a malignant lesion on the trunk, arm, or leg measuring 0.5 cm or less. Code 17261 is for the same anatomic group when the lesion is larger.

Does the destruction method change the code?

No. The code selection depends on the lesion’s site and diameter; qualifying methods include electrosurgery, cryosurgery, laser treatment, chemical destruction, and surgical curettement.

How should multiple lesions treated in one session be reported?

Select the size- and site-appropriate code for each lesion treated. Medicare’s multiple-procedure reduction applies when multiple procedures are performed in the same session.

Should modifier 50 be appended for lesions on both sides?

No. The bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.

What postoperative care is included?

Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure payment.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be billed?

Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid for this code. Co-surgeon and team-surgery payment 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 17260PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,628 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for Queens, NYGPCI2026.csv, line 81 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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