CPT code 20670: Implant removal, superficial hardware2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in San Benito County, CA

Reports removal of accessible superficial orthopedic hardware, such as a buried wire or pin, when a clinician removes the implant from its site.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality6.2K Medicare services in 2024

In San Benito County, CA, Medicare pays $506.56 for 20670 in the office and $174.23 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$506.56Office (non-facility)
$174.23Hospital or facility
+36.8%vs the national office rate ($370.42)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 20670 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 20670 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in San Benito County, CA
  2. What 20670 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 20670 covers

This service covers removal of orthopedic hardware located superficially, such as a buried wire, pin, or screw that can be reached without the deeper dissection required for deep implants. An orthopedist or another clinician performing musculoskeletal procedures may remove it in an office procedure room, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital operating room, depending on the implant’s location and the work needed. The key distinction from deep-implant removal is the documented depth and surgical exposure, not simply the type of hardware.

Report the service for the superficial implant removal itself, and document the implant, anatomic site, and depth supporting the superficial classification. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. 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.

How San Benito County, CA compares for 20670

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 20670 runs from $323.33 in Arkansas to $506.56 in San Benito County, CA. San Benito County, CA pays $506.56. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

20670 in San Benito County, CA vs other payment areas
  1. San Benito County, CA · this page$506.56
  2. Bakersfield, CA · California$397.08−$109.48
  3. Chico, CA · California$396.31−$110.25
  4. El Centro, CA · California$396.35−$110.21
  5. Fresno, CA · California$396.31−$110.25
  6. Hanford, CA · California$396.31−$110.25
  7. Los Angeles, CA · California$425.22−$81.34

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

Every other payment area

20670 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Madera, CACalifornia$396.31$143.72
Merced, CACalifornia$396.31$143.72
Modesto, CACalifornia$396.31$143.72
Napa, CACalifornia$466.00$162.24
Oxnard, CACalifornia$423.79$151.38
Redding, CACalifornia$396.31$143.72
Rest of CaliforniaCalifornia$396.31$143.72
Riverside, CACalifornia$399.23$146.63

20670 rates by state

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

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.

$323.33

$451.44

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

View every state and territory as a table
20670 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$415.281
AL$328.631
AR$323.331
AZ$359.731
CA$396.31–$506.5629
CO$388.531
CT$396.811
DC$428.521
DE$366.161
FL$361.62–$396.633
GA$339.43–$377.252
GU$408.121
HI$408.121
IA$339.231
ID$341.431
IL$349.14–$385.974
IN$343.671
KS$336.861
KY$336.021
LA$335.20–$353.772
MA$385.58–$430.592
MD$373.90–$428.523
ME$342.77–$364.362
MI$345.22–$366.002
MN$372.851
MO$328.37–$355.893
MS$325.951
MT$370.401
NC$346.861
ND$365.061
NE$341.481
NH$381.711
NJ$401.50–$423.182
NM$347.081
NV$369.211
NY$352.59–$439.145
OH$344.131
OK$335.991
OR$366.53–$402.672
PA$345.08–$385.632
PR$373.611
RI$380.551
SC$346.041
SD$364.431
TN$338.671
TX$342.51–$387.088
UT$351.321
VA$362.61–$428.522
VI$373.611
VT$362.931
WA$385.08–$440.462
WI$351.451
WV$334.621
WY$368.071

See 20670 in every payment locality

How the 20670 rate is calculated

Each of 20670’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 · 20670

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.75

1.75 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense9.07

9.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.27

0.27 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

11.0900

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$370.42

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

The exact San Benito County, CA inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

1,782

Code
20670
Physician work
1.75
Practice expense
9.07
Malpractice
0.27

GPCI2026.csv

26

Locality
San Benito County, CA
Physician work
1.110
Practice expense
1.442
Malpractice
0.536
Office calculation for 20670 in San Benito County, CA
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work1.75× 1.1101.9425
Practice expense9.07× 1.44213.0789
Malpractice0.27× 0.5360.1447
Total RVUs15.1662
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, San Benito County, CA$506.56

Office: (1.75 × 1.11 + 9.07 × 1.442 + 0.27 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $506.56

Facility: (1.75 × 1.11 + 2.17 × 1.442 + 0.27 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $174.23

Open 20670 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 20670

20670 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 20670

Implant removal, superficial hardware

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 · 20670

Implant removal, superficial hardware

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

20670 without 51 · national office

$370.42

Implant removal, superficial hardware

20670-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$185.21

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

How 20670 has changed in San Benito County, CA

20670 · Office / nonfacility

$506.56

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $46.96 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $459.60 to $506.56 (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

    $459.60changed to$506.56

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 1.79 changed to 1.75
    • Practice expense RVU 8.42 changed to 9.07
    • Malpractice RVU 0.28 changed to 0.27
    • Work GPCI 1.100 changed to 1.110
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.435 changed to 1.442
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.560 changed to 0.536

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $482.33changed to$459.60

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 8.62 changed to 8.42
    • Malpractice RVU 0.27 changed to 0.28

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $474.46changed to$482.33

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $487.30changed to$474.46

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 8.70 changed to 8.62
    • Work GPCI 1.098 changed to 1.100
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.409 changed to 1.435
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.579 changed to 0.560
  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $492.25changed to$487.30

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 8.75 changed to 8.70
    • Work GPCI 1.096 changed to 1.098
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.383 changed to 1.409
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.597 changed to 0.579

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $497.96changed to$492.25

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 9.15 changed to 8.75
    • Work GPCI 1.084 changed to 1.096
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.330 changed to 1.383

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $465.61changed to$497.96

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 8.46 changed to 9.15
    • Malpractice RVU 0.28 changed to 0.27
    • Work GPCI 1.072 changed to 1.084
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.279 changed to 1.330
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.580 changed to 0.597

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $450.03changed to$465.61

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 8.61 changed to 8.46
    • Malpractice RVU 0.27 changed to 0.28
    • Work GPCI 1.052 changed to 1.072
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.214 changed to 1.279
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.562 changed to 0.580

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $440.14changed to$450.03

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 8.75 changed to 8.61
    • Work GPCI 1.041 changed to 1.052
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.167 changed to 1.214

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $422.78changed to$440.14

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 8.71 changed to 8.75
    • Malpractice RVU 0.28 changed to 0.27
    • Work GPCI 1.031 changed to 1.041
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.121 changed to 1.167
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.610 changed to 0.562

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    No ratechanged to$422.78

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: No rate

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D, RVU14A, RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D, RVU15A, RVU15B, RVU15C, RVU15D, RVU16A, RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$506.56$174.23RVU26D
2026-07-01$506.56$174.23RVU26C
2026-04-01$506.56$174.23RVU26B
2026-01-01$506.56$174.23RVU26A
2025-10-01$459.60$177.84RVU25D
2025-07-01$459.60$177.84RVU25C
2025-04-01$459.60$177.84RVU25B
2025-01-01$459.60$177.84RVU25A
2024-10-01$482.33$181.40RVU24D
2024-07-01$482.33$181.40RVU24C
2024-04-01$482.33$181.40RVU24B
2024-03-09$482.33$181.40RVU24AR
2024-01-01$474.46$178.44RVU24A
2023-10-01$487.30$180.29RVU23D
2023-07-01$487.30$180.29RVU23C
2023-04-01$487.30$180.29RVU23B
2023-01-01$487.30$180.29RVU23A
2022-10-01$492.25$178.28RVU22D
2022-07-01$492.25$178.28RVU22C
2022-04-01$492.25$178.28RVU22B
2022-01-01$492.25$178.28RVU22A
2021-10-01$497.96$174.96RVU21D
2021-07-01$497.96$174.96RVU21C
2021-04-01$497.96$174.96RVU21B
2021-01-01$497.96$174.96RVU21A
2020-10-01$465.61$172.51RVU20D
2020-07-01$465.61$172.51RVU20C
2020-04-01$465.61$172.51RVU20B
2020-01-01$465.61$172.51RVU20A
2019-10-01$450.03$166.52RVU19D
2019-07-01$450.03$166.52RVU19C
2019-04-01$450.03$166.52RVU19B
2019-01-01$450.03$166.52RVU19A
2018-10-01$440.14$162.87RVU18D
2018-07-01$440.14$162.87RVU18C
2018-04-01$440.14$162.87RVU18B
2018-01-01$440.14$162.87RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$422.78$158.86RVU17D
2017-07-01$422.78$158.86RVU17C
2017-04-01$422.78$158.86RVU17B
2017-01-01$422.78$158.86RVU17A
2016-10-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU16D
2016-07-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU16C
2016-04-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU16B
2016-01-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU16A
2015-10-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU15D
2015-07-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU15C
2015-04-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU15B
2015-01-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU15A
2014-10-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU14D
2014-07-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU14C
2014-04-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU14B
2014-01-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU14A
2013-10-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13D
2013-07-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13C
2013-04-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13B
2013-01-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13AR

Price 20670 for an earlier date of service

Where the San Benito County, CA rate applies

San Benito County, CA is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 5 cities and communities in California. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • 20670 in Aromas · multiple payment areas
  • Hollister
  • Ridgemark
  • San Juan Bautista
  • Tres Pinos

Browse all communities in California

20670 billing questions

How is superficial removal distinguished from deep implant removal?

Use the documented implant depth and the exposure required. This code describes accessible superficial hardware; removal requiring deeper dissection is considered with 20680.

Are postoperative visits separately reported during the global period?

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

Should modifier 50 be used for removal on both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

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

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

Under the standard multiple procedure rule, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction.

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 20670PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,782 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for San Benito County, CAGPCI2026.csv, line 26 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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