CPT code 17266: Lesion destruction, trunk or extremity, over 4 cm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $230.47 for 17266 nationally in the office and $127.59 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $206.30–$299.53.

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

What 17266 covers

This code covers destruction of a malignant skin lesion larger than 4.0 cm on the trunk, an arm, or a leg. Dermatologists and other clinicians who treat skin cancers may use destructive techniques such as electrosurgery, cryosurgery, laser treatment, or curettage with electrosurgical destruction. It is selected for the treated lesion’s anatomic site and size, not simply for the diagnosis or method used.

Document the lesion’s location, measured size, malignant diagnosis, and the destruction performed. Report the code for each treated lesion that meets its site and size criteria. The service has a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 17266 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

17266 rates by state

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

How the 17266 rate is calculated

Each of 17266’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 17266

17266 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

17266 compared with similar codes

How to choose

17264Skin lesion destructionTrunk, arms, or legs; 3.1–4.0 cm

Both codes cover malignant lesions on the trunk, arms, or legs; choose 17264 for a lesion measuring 3.1 to 4.0 cm and 17266 when it is larger than 4.0 cm.

17276Skin lesion destructionSpecified sites, over 4 cm

This code is for lesions over 4.0 cm on the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia. Use 17266 for the trunk, arms, or legs.

17286Lesion destructionFacial site, over 4 cm

This code is for lesions over 4.0 cm on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membrane. Use 17266 for the trunk, arms, or legs.

Codes related to 17266

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates