CPT code 21013: Tumor excision, deep, under 2 cm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports removal of a small soft-tissue tumor beneath the fascia of the face or scalp, including deep or intramuscular lesions.
Medicare pays $587.50–$727.21 for 21013 in the office in California, from Chico, CA to San Benito County, 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 21013 covers
This code describes excision of a soft-tissue tumor beneath the fascia in the face or scalp, including a lesion within muscle, when the tumor is smaller than 2 cm. The surgeon removes the deep mass rather than a superficial skin or subcutaneous lesion. Otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons may perform this procedure in an operating room or an appropriately equipped outpatient setting.
Select the code using the tumor’s depth and size, not the skin incision length: the operative report should identify the facial or scalp site, the tissue plane or muscle involved, and the tumor measurement. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; 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.
Where 21013 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 payment localities
$587.50 to $727.21
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $590.24 | $377.92 |
| Chico, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| El Centro, CA | $587.66 | $375.34 |
| Fresno, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| Hanford, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $626.93 | $397.75 |
| Madera, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| Marin County, CA | $710.64 | $437.49 |
| Merced, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| Modesto, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| Napa, CA | $673.81 | $418.48 |
| Oxnard, CA | $622.94 | $393.95 |
| Redding, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| Rest of California | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| Riverside, CA | $598.05 | $385.73 |
| Sacramento, CA | $614.73 | $389.43 |
| Salinas, CA | $612.42 | $387.89 |
| San Benito County, CA | $727.21 | $447.86 |
| San Diego, CA | $625.63 | $393.93 |
| San Francisco, CA | $709.53 | $436.38 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $602.83 | $382.17 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $722.66 | $443.31 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $630.62 | $395.24 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $614.39 | $388.50 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $636.84 | $398.94 |
| Stockton, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| Vallejo, CA | $672.21 | $416.88 |
| Visalia, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
| Yuba City, CA | $587.50 | $375.18 |
How the 21013 rate is calculated
Each of 21013’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 · 21013
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.28
5.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.67
10.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.98
0.98 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
16.9300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$565.48
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 21013
21013 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 21013
Tumor excision, deep, under 2 cm
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 21013
Tumor excision, deep, under 2 cm
90-day global period ends
Dec 30, 2026
Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
21013 without 51 · national office
$565.48
Tumor excision, deep, under 2 cm
21013-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$282.74
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%).
21013 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 21011Facial tumor excisionSubcutaneous, under 2 cm
- 21011 describes a small tumor in the subcutaneous plane. Use 21013 when the tumor lies beneath the fascia, including within muscle.
- 21014Tumor excisionDeep, 2 cm or larger
- Both codes describe deep facial or scalp soft-tissue tumors; 21013 is for tumors under 2 cm, while 21014 is for tumors 2 cm or larger.
- 21015Tumor resectionSubfascial, under 2 cm
- 21015 describes radical resection of a face or scalp soft-tissue tumor. Use 21013 for excision of a deep tumor under 2 cm when radical resection is not performed.
21013 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from a superficial facial lesion excision?
Use this code for a tumor beneath the fascia, including an intramuscular mass, that is under 2 cm. A lesion limited to the subcutaneous plane belongs to the superficial-lesion code family.
Which size measurement supports code selection?
Document the tumor measurement and its tissue depth in the operative report. The 2 cm threshold concerns the tumor, not the incision.
Does the code include the related postoperative visits?
Yes. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How are other procedures paid when performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction, with payment at 50%.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. CMS does not permit co-surgeon or team-surgery billing for this code.
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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