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CPT code 21029: Bone contouring, benign facial bone tumor2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in North Carolina

Reports operative reshaping of a benign facial bone tumor when the surgeon contours the lesion rather than performing a distinct excision.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality187 Medicare services in 2024

In North Carolina, Medicare pays $764.18 for 21029 in the office and $537.94 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$764.18Office (non-facility)
$537.94Hospital or facility
−6.1%vs the national office rate ($813.65)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 21029 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 21029 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in North Carolina
  2. What 21029 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 21029 covers

Code 21029 describes surgically reducing and reshaping a benign tumor of a facial bone, typically by burring or similar contouring. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon or craniofacial surgeon may perform the procedure when a bony growth creates a prominence or irregular facial contour. The operative approach and extent depend on the lesion’s location and the correction needed; this is not a code for removing a soft-tissue facial mass.

Report the code when the operative documentation supports a benign facial bone tumor treated by contouring. Record the bone and lesion treated, the technique, and the work performed; distinguish contouring from excision of a defined tumor or removal of an exostosis. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur 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 payment requires documented medical necessity. 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 North Carolina compares for 21029

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 21029 runs from $721.93 in Arkansas to $1,041.72 in San Benito County, CA. North Carolina pays $764.18. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

21029 in North Carolina vs other payment areas
  1. North Carolina · this page$764.18
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$900.34+$136.16
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$921.66+$157.48
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$902.90+$138.72
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$876.43+$112.25
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$937.80+$173.62
  7. Alaska · Alaska$962.21+$198.03

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

Every other payment area

21029 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$732.16$519.98
ArkansasArkansas$721.93$513.64
ArizonaArizona$791.80$556.82
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$848.76$582.99
Chico, CACalifornia$844.92$579.15
El Centro, CACalifornia$845.15$579.38
Fresno, CACalifornia$844.92$579.15
Hanford, CACalifornia$844.92$579.15

21029 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.

$721.93

$962.21

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

View every state and territory as a table
21029 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$962.211
AL$732.161
AR$721.931
AZ$791.801
CA$844.92–$1,041.7229
CO$838.751
CT$866.721
DC$921.661
DE$804.511
FL$814.53–$902.903
GA$768.81–$831.452
GU$862.521
HI$862.521
IA$744.351
ID$750.261
IL$795.94–$876.434
IN$754.311
KS$743.731
KY$754.831
LA$754.79–$790.552
MA$835.12–$915.982
MD$818.62–$921.663
ME$756.97–$792.552
MI$776.37–$827.242
MN$796.271
MO$744.12–$789.963
MS$733.031
MT$813.561
NC$764.181
ND$786.861
NE$747.461
NH$828.321
NJ$874.52–$913.182
NM$781.601
NV$806.611
NY$775.49–$963.395
OH$770.911
OK$750.591
OR$798.27–$861.462
PA$770.55–$847.582
PR$818.421
RI$830.311
SC$769.241
SD$783.711
TN$747.691
TX$765.86–$837.788
UT$779.331
VA$791.97–$921.662
VI$818.421
VT$786.421
WA$832.67–$931.502
WI$761.641
WV$768.191
WY$801.921

See 21029 in every payment locality

How the 21029 rate is calculated

Each of 21029’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 · 21029

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work8.18

8.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense14.83

14.83 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.35

1.35 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

24.3600

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$813.65

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

1,845

Code
21029
Physician work
8.18
Practice expense
14.83
Malpractice
1.35

GPCI2026.csv

83

Locality
North Carolina
Physician work
1.000
Practice expense
0.933
Malpractice
0.639
Office calculation for 21029 in North Carolina
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work8.18× 1.0008.1800
Practice expense14.83× 0.93313.8364
Malpractice1.35× 0.6390.8627
Total RVUs22.8790
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, North Carolina$764.18

Office: (8.18 × 1 + 14.83 × 0.933 + 1.35 × 0.639) × $33.4009 = $764.18

Facility: (8.18 × 1 + 7.57 × 0.933 + 1.35 × 0.639) × $33.4009 = $537.94

Open 21029 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 21029

21029 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 21029

Bone contouring, benign facial bone tumor

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 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)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 21029

Bone contouring, benign facial bone tumor

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

21029 without 51 · national office

$813.65

Bone contouring, benign facial bone tumor

21029-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$406.83

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 21029

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

Codes related to 21029
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, North Carolina
Used instead
21026Facial bone excision, one or more facial bonesFacial bone excision may apply when the documented procedure is excision rather than tumor contouring.$542.64
21030Bone lesion excision, maxilla or zygoma, benignDescribes excision of a benign tumor of the maxilla or zygoma rather than contouring.$449.00
21031Exostosis removal, mandibleFor removal of a mandibular exostosis, a distinct diagnosis and procedure.$366.34
21032Maxillary exostosis, maxillaFor removal of a maxillary exostosis, a distinct diagnosis and procedure.$361.14

How 21029 has changed in North Carolina

21029 · Office / nonfacility

$764.18

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $52.37 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $711.81 to $764.18 (7.4%).

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

    $711.81changed to$764.18

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 8.39 changed to 8.18
    • Practice expense RVU 13.72 changed to 14.83
    • Malpractice RVU 1.37 changed to 1.35
    • 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

    $727.36changed to$711.81

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 13.56 changed to 13.72
    • Malpractice RVU 1.36 changed to 1.37

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $715.49changed to$727.36

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $738.32changed to$715.49

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 13.46 changed to 13.56
    • Malpractice RVU 1.24 changed to 1.36
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.927 changed to 0.926
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.742 changed to 0.665

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $745.36changed to$738.32

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 13.18 changed to 13.46
    • Malpractice RVU 1.12 changed to 1.24
    • 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

    $751.60changed to$745.36

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 13.27 changed to 13.18
    • Malpractice RVU 1.02 changed to 1.12

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $748.06changed to$751.60

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 12.42 changed to 13.27
    • Malpractice RVU 1.04 changed to 1.02
    • 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

    $750.56changed to$748.06

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 12.38 changed to 12.42
    • Malpractice RVU 1.31 changed to 1.04
    • 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

    $749.91changed to$750.56

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 12.40 changed to 12.38
    • Malpractice RVU 1.29 changed to 1.31

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $750.05changed to$749.91

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 12.43 changed to 12.40
    • Malpractice RVU 1.28 changed to 1.29
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.732 changed to 0.695

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $747.26changed to$750.05

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 12.33 changed to 12.43
    • Malpractice RVU 1.32 changed to 1.28
    • 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

    $747.34changed to$747.26

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 12.26 changed to 12.33
    • Malpractice RVU 1.31 changed to 1.32

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $743.62changed to$747.34

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $751.99changed to$743.62

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 12.32 changed to 12.26
    • Malpractice RVU 1.58 changed to 1.31
    • 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

    $750.57changed to$751.99

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 13.51 changed to 12.32
    • Malpractice RVU 1.65 changed to 1.58
    • 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: $750.57

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$764.18$537.94RVU26D
2026-07-01$764.18$537.94RVU26C
2026-04-01$764.18$537.94RVU26B
2026-01-01$764.18$537.94RVU26A
2025-10-01$711.81$580.32RVU25D
2025-07-01$711.81$580.32RVU25C
2025-04-01$711.81$580.32RVU25B
2025-01-01$711.81$580.32RVU25A
2024-10-01$727.36$590.50RVU24D
2024-07-01$727.36$590.50RVU24C
2024-04-01$727.36$590.50RVU24B
2024-03-09$727.36$590.50RVU24AR
2024-01-01$715.49$580.87RVU24A
2023-10-01$738.32$598.21RVU23D
2023-07-01$738.32$598.21RVU23C
2023-04-01$738.32$598.21RVU23B
2023-01-01$738.32$598.21RVU23A
2022-10-01$745.36$601.81RVU22D
2022-07-01$745.36$601.81RVU22C
2022-04-01$745.36$601.81RVU22B
2022-01-01$745.36$601.81RVU22A
2021-10-01$751.60$605.56RVU21D
2021-07-01$751.60$605.56RVU21C
2021-04-01$751.60$605.56RVU21B
2021-01-01$751.60$605.56RVU21A
2020-10-01$748.06$615.49RVU20D
2020-07-01$748.06$615.49RVU20C
2020-04-01$748.06$615.49RVU20B
2020-01-01$748.06$615.49RVU20A
2019-10-01$750.56$622.39RVU19D
2019-07-01$750.56$622.39RVU19C
2019-04-01$750.56$622.39RVU19B
2019-01-01$750.56$622.39RVU19A
2018-10-01$749.91$625.90RVU18D
2018-07-01$749.91$625.90RVU18C
2018-04-01$749.91$625.90RVU18B
2018-01-01$749.91$625.90RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$750.05$627.76RVU17D
2017-07-01$750.05$627.76RVU17C
2017-04-01$750.05$627.76RVU17B
2017-01-01$750.05$627.76RVU17A
2016-10-01$747.26$626.05RVU16D
2016-07-01$747.26$626.05RVU16C
2016-04-01$747.26$626.05RVU16B
2016-01-01$747.26$626.05RVU16A
2015-10-01$747.34$626.37RVU15D
2015-07-01$747.34$626.37RVU15C
2015-04-01$743.62$623.25RVU15B
2015-01-01$743.62$623.25RVU15A
2014-10-01$751.99$631.18RVU14D
2014-07-01$751.99$631.18RVU14C
2014-04-01$751.99$631.18RVU14B
2014-01-01$751.99$631.18RVU14A
2013-10-01$750.57$622.20RVU13D
2013-07-01$750.57$622.20RVU13C
2013-04-01$750.57$622.20RVU13B
2013-01-01$750.57$622.20RVU13AR

Price 21029 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

21029 billing questions

How is 21029 different from excision of a facial bone tumor?

Use 21029 when the surgeon treats the benign tumor by contouring the facial bone. A separately excised tumor may point to a different procedure code, depending on the bone and technique.

Can 21029 be used for a mandibular or maxillary exostosis?

Do not select 21029 solely because bone was reshaped. Codes 21031 and 21032 describe removal of exostoses of the mandible and maxilla, respectively; base code selection on the documented diagnosis and procedure.

Is related postoperative care separately reported?

Related postoperative care during the 90-day global period is included, as is the day-before preoperative visit.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction when performed in the same session.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted 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
RVUs for 21029PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,845 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for North CarolinaGPCI2026.csv, line 83 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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