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CPT code 20525: Foreign body removal, deep or complicated2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in North Carolina

Reports operative removal of a foreign object embedded deeply in muscle or tendon when retrieval requires more than a simple extraction.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality1.5K Medicare services in 2024

In North Carolina, Medicare pays $464.95 for 20525 in the office and $218.76 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$464.95Office (non-facility)
$218.76Hospital or facility
−6.5%vs the national office rate ($497.01)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 20525 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 20525 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in North Carolina
  2. What 20525 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 20525 covers

This service covers surgical retrieval of an object embedded in muscle or tendon, such as a deeply lodged splinter or fragment. A physician makes the necessary exposure and dissection to locate and remove it. The procedure may be performed in an office procedure room, emergency setting, or operating room, depending on the object’s location and the difficulty of access.

Choose this code when the object is deep in muscle or tendon, or its removal is complicated; document the anatomic site, depth, and work needed to retrieve it. Use 20520 for a simple removal from muscle or tendon, and consider the subcutaneous foreign-body codes when the object remains in that tissue layer. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during those 10 days. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 North Carolina compares for 20525

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 20525 runs from $435.59 in Arkansas to $658.45 in San Benito County, CA. North Carolina pays $464.95. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

20525 in North Carolina vs other payment areas
  1. North Carolina · this page$464.95
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$560.15+$95.20
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$569.75+$104.80
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$545.46+$80.51
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$528.16+$63.21
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$575.57+$110.62
  7. Alaska · Alaska$568.11+$103.16

Other areas in North Carolina first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

20525 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$442.47$211.59
ArkansasArkansas$435.59$208.93
ArizonaArizona$482.68$226.99
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$525.11$235.91
Chico, CACalifornia$523.27$234.07
El Centro, CACalifornia$523.38$234.18
Fresno, CACalifornia$523.27$234.07
Hanford, CACalifornia$523.27$234.07

20525 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.

$435.59

$590.86

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

View every state and territory as a table
20525 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$568.111
AL$442.471
AR$435.591
AZ$482.681
CA$523.27–$658.4529
CO$516.581
CT$531.641
DC$569.751
DE$491.041
FL$492.27–$545.463
GA$462.39–$507.542
GU$537.011
HI$537.011
IA$453.141
ID$456.611
IL$478.12–$528.164
IN$459.411
KS$451.541
KY$455.201
LA$454.71–$478.782
MA$513.44–$569.092
MD$500.67–$569.753
ME$459.89–$485.632
MI$468.55–$499.542
MN$491.921
MO$446.79–$479.783
MS$441.251
MT$496.961
NC$464.951
ND$483.911
NE$455.591
NH$509.001
NJ$536.85–$563.322
NM$471.581
NV$493.681
NY$472.47–$591.265
OH$465.891
OK$453.601
OR$489.02–$533.142
PA$466.30–$518.082
PR$500.631
RI$508.691
SC$466.361
SD$482.371
TN$454.061
TX$463.06–$515.598
UT$473.171
VA$484.41–$569.752
VI$500.631
VT$482.521
WA$512.30–$580.392
WI$466.641
WV$459.381
WY$491.271

See 20525 in every payment locality

How the 20525 rate is calculated

Each of 20525’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 · 20525

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work3.45

3.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense10.77

10.77 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.66

0.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

14.8800

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$497.01

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

The exact North Carolina inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

1,756

Code
20525
Physician work
3.45
Practice expense
10.77
Malpractice
0.66

GPCI2026.csv

83

Locality
North Carolina
Physician work
1.000
Practice expense
0.933
Malpractice
0.639
Office calculation for 20525 in North Carolina
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work3.45× 1.0003.4500
Practice expense10.77× 0.93310.0484
Malpractice0.66× 0.6390.4217
Total RVUs13.9201
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, North Carolina$464.95

Office: (3.45 × 1 + 10.77 × 0.933 + 0.66 × 0.639) × $33.4009 = $464.95

Facility: (3.45 × 1 + 2.87 × 0.933 + 0.66 × 0.639) × $33.4009 = $218.76

Open 20525 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 20525

20525 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 20525

Foreign body removal, deep or complicated

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 · 20525

Foreign body removal, deep or complicated

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

20525 without 51 · national office

$497.01

Foreign body removal, deep or complicated

20525-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$248.51

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 20525

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

Codes related to 20525
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, North Carolina
Same family
20520Foreign body removal, muscle or tendon, simpleSimple removal from muscle or tendon; 20525 represents deep or complicated retrieval.$215.89
Used instead
10120Foreign body removal, simple subcutaneous extractionFor simple foreign-body removal when the object is in subcutaneous tissue.$148.07
10121Foreign body removal, complicated subcutaneousFor complicated foreign-body removal when the object is in subcutaneous tissue.$259.03

How 20525 has changed in North Carolina

20525 · Office / nonfacility

$464.95

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $43.22 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $421.73 to $464.95 (10.2%).

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

    $421.73changed to$464.95

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 3.54 changed to 3.45
    • Practice expense RVU 9.79 changed to 10.77
    • Malpractice RVU 0.65 changed to 0.66
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.926 changed to 0.933
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.665 changed to 0.639

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $432.98changed to$421.73

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 9.75 changed to 9.79
    • Malpractice RVU 0.66 changed to 0.65

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $425.92changed to$432.98

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $444.78changed to$425.92

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 9.82 changed to 9.75
    • Malpractice RVU 0.65 changed to 0.66
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.927 changed to 0.926
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.742 changed to 0.665

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $456.33changed to$444.78

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 9.83 changed to 9.82
    • Malpractice RVU 0.64 changed to 0.65
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.928 changed to 0.927
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.819 changed to 0.742

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $467.92changed to$456.33

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 10.08 changed to 9.83
    • Malpractice RVU 0.63 changed to 0.64

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $461.53changed to$467.92

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 9.44 changed to 10.08
    • Malpractice RVU 0.62 changed to 0.63
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.930 changed to 0.928
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.757 changed to 0.819

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $460.85changed to$461.53

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 9.47 changed to 9.44
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.931 changed to 0.930
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.695 changed to 0.757

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $462.35changed to$460.85

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 9.53 changed to 9.47

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $458.94changed to$462.35

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 9.43 changed to 9.53
    • Malpractice RVU 0.64 changed to 0.62
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.732 changed to 0.695

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $459.62changed to$458.94

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 9.46 changed to 9.43
    • Malpractice RVU 0.65 changed to 0.64
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.930 changed to 0.931
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.768 changed to 0.732

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $462.89changed to$459.62

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 9.50 changed to 9.46
    • Malpractice RVU 0.66 changed to 0.65

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $460.59changed to$462.89

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $454.30changed to$460.59

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 9.36 changed to 9.50
    • Malpractice RVU 0.61 changed to 0.66
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.929 changed to 0.930
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.732 changed to 0.768

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $466.42changed to$454.30

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 10.49 changed to 9.36
    • Malpractice RVU 0.64 changed to 0.61
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.927 changed to 0.929
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.695 changed to 0.732

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $466.42

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$464.95$218.76RVU26D
2026-07-01$464.95$218.76RVU26C
2026-04-01$464.95$218.76RVU26B
2026-01-01$464.95$218.76RVU26A
2025-10-01$421.73$229.43RVU25D
2025-07-01$421.73$229.43RVU25C
2025-04-01$421.73$229.43RVU25B
2025-01-01$421.73$229.43RVU25A
2024-10-01$432.98$232.63RVU24D
2024-07-01$432.98$232.63RVU24C
2024-04-01$432.98$232.63RVU24B
2024-03-09$432.98$232.63RVU24AR
2024-01-01$425.92$228.83RVU24A
2023-10-01$444.78$236.83RVU23D
2023-07-01$444.78$236.83RVU23C
2023-04-01$444.78$236.83RVU23B
2023-01-01$444.78$236.83RVU23A
2022-10-01$456.33$240.84RVU22D
2022-07-01$456.33$240.84RVU22C
2022-04-01$456.33$240.84RVU22B
2022-01-01$456.33$240.84RVU22A
2021-10-01$467.92$241.58RVU21D
2021-07-01$467.92$241.58RVU21C
2021-04-01$467.92$241.58RVU21B
2021-01-01$467.92$241.58RVU21A
2020-10-01$461.53$243.71RVU20D
2020-07-01$461.53$243.71RVU20C
2020-04-01$461.53$243.71RVU20B
2020-01-01$461.53$243.71RVU20A
2019-10-01$460.85$242.09RVU19D
2019-07-01$460.85$242.09RVU19C
2019-04-01$460.85$242.09RVU19B
2019-01-01$460.85$242.09RVU19A
2018-10-01$462.35$242.16RVU18D
2018-07-01$462.35$242.16RVU18C
2018-04-01$462.35$242.16RVU18B
2018-01-01$462.35$242.16RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$458.94$242.09RVU17D
2017-07-01$458.94$242.09RVU17C
2017-04-01$458.94$242.09RVU17B
2017-01-01$458.94$242.09RVU17A
2016-10-01$459.62$243.18RVU16D
2016-07-01$459.62$243.18RVU16C
2016-04-01$459.62$243.18RVU16B
2016-01-01$459.62$243.18RVU16A
2015-10-01$462.89$245.00RVU15D
2015-07-01$462.89$245.00RVU15C
2015-04-01$460.59$243.79RVU15B
2015-01-01$460.59$243.79RVU15A
2014-10-01$454.30$240.65RVU14D
2014-07-01$454.30$240.65RVU14C
2014-04-01$454.30$240.65RVU14B
2014-01-01$454.30$240.65RVU14A
2013-10-01$466.42$237.76RVU13D
2013-07-01$466.42$237.76RVU13C
2013-04-01$466.42$237.76RVU13B
2013-01-01$466.42$237.76RVU13AR

Price 20525 for an earlier date of service

Where the North Carolina rate applies

North Carolina is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 785 cities and communities in North Carolina. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Aberdeen
  • Advance
  • Ahoskie
  • Alamance
  • Albemarle
  • Alexis
  • Alliance
  • Altamahaw

Browse all communities in North Carolina

20525 billing questions

How do I distinguish 20525 from 20520?

Use 20525 for a deep or complicated removal from muscle or tendon. Use 20520 when removal from those tissues is simple.

When should a subcutaneous foreign-body code be considered instead?

Consider 10120 or 10121 when the object is in subcutaneous tissue rather than embedded in muscle or tendon. The documented tissue layer and complexity guide code selection.

Are related postoperative visits separately reported?

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

Can modifier 50 be used for removal on both sides?

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

Can an assistant, co-surgeon, or surgical team be billed?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

What documentation supports reporting 20525?

Document the foreign body's location in muscle or tendon, its depth, and why retrieval was deep or complicated rather than simple.

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 20525PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,756 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for North CarolinaGPCI2026.csv, line 83 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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