CPT code 21076: Obturator prosthesis, surgical obturator2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports impression and preparation of a surgical obturator to cover a maxillary surgical defect, commonly in connection with maxillectomy.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities181 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $919.86 for 21076 nationally in the office and $628.27 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $832.53–$1,140.88.

Medicare rate · 21076

Obturator prosthesis, surgical obturator

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
13.07
Total RVUs
27.54
Global days
010

National rate · 2026

$919.86

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 21076 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 21076 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 21076 covers

This service covers taking an impression and preparing a surgical obturator for a maxillary defect, commonly when a patient is undergoing maxillectomy. The device is intended for the surgical phase, helping separate the oral and nasal cavities after resection. A maxillofacial prosthodontist or other qualified dental or surgical specialist may perform the prosthetic work, often coordinating with the team treating an oral or maxillary tumor.

Report 21076 for the surgical obturator, not an interim device used during healing or a definitive device made after healing; those have separate codes. Document the defect and planned surgery, the impression and prosthetic work performed, and the device’s surgical purpose. Related postoperative visits for 10 days are included in the global period. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. 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.

Where 21076 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$832.53 to $1140.88

$832.53$986.71$1140.88
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

21076 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$842.21$587.07
Alaska$1,140.88$830.34
Arizona$898.58$616.02
Arkansas$832.53$582.05
Atlanta, GA$939.22$642.97
Austin, TX$939.17$630.67
Bakersfield, CA$947.39$627.81
Baltimore area, MD$971.28$658.40
Beaumont, TX$877.42$612.08
Brazoria, TX$907.23$618.27

21076 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.

$832.53

$1,140.88

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

View every state and territory as a table
21076 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$1,140.881
AL$842.211
AR$832.531
AZ$898.581
CA$942.44–$1,130.9729
CO$940.251
CT$973.231
DC$1,025.841
DE$911.281
FL$929.11–$1,022.683
GA$884.40–$939.222
GU$954.951
HI$954.951
IA$849.891
ID$856.261
IL$914.07–$997.294
IN$859.981
KS$851.151
KY$867.661
LA$868.35–$902.222
MA$938.18–$1,014.562
MD$924.78–$1,025.843
ME$864.57–$895.432
MI$889.86–$943.162
MN$892.991
MO$859.41–$899.453
MS$845.881
MT$919.751
NC$871.081
ND$886.731
NE$852.251
NH$930.421
NJ$982.07–$1,019.562
NM$895.591
NV$910.971
NY$881.92–$1,076.415
OH$883.111
OK$861.681
OR$901.58–$960.022
PA$881.74–$956.012
PR$923.731
RI$936.241
SC$879.001
SD$882.821
TN$855.131
TX$877.42–$941.338
UT$888.521
VA$896.19–$1,025.842
VI$923.731
VT$888.031
WA$934.86–$1,028.532
WI$863.311
WV$887.901
WY$905.361

How the 21076 rate is calculated

Each of 21076’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 · 21076

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work13.07

13.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense12.80

12.80 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.67

1.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

27.5400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$919.86

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 21076

21076 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 21076

Obturator prosthesis, surgical obturator

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)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)0.10/0.80/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 21076

Obturator prosthesis, surgical obturator

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

21076 without 51 · national office

$919.86

Obturator prosthesis, surgical obturator

21076-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$459.93

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

21076 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 21076

    Obturator prosthesis, surgical obturator13.07 wRVU

    $919.86

  • 21079

    Obturator prosthesis, interim obturator21.75 wRVU

    $1,521.75+$601.89

  • 21080

    Obturator prosthesis, definitive obturator24.43 wRVU

    $1,729.83+$809.97

  • 21085

    Oral splint, surgical use8.77 wRVU

    $710.10−$209.76

How to choose

21079Obturator prosthesisInterim obturator
Choose 21076 for the surgical obturator. Code 21079 is for an interim obturator used during healing.
21080Obturator prosthesisDefinitive obturator
Code 21080 describes a definitive obturator; 21076 is for the device prepared for the surgical phase.
21085Oral splintSurgical use
Code 21085 is for an oral surgical splint. Code 21076 is for an obturator intended to cover a maxillary surgical defect.

21076 billing questions

How is 21076 different from 21079?

21076 is for a surgical obturator intended for the surgical phase. Code 21079 describes an interim obturator used during healing.

When should 21080 be used instead?

Use 21080 for a definitive obturator, rather than the surgical-phase device reported with 21076.

Can the impression be billed separately from 21076?

The code covers the impression and preparation of the surgical obturator together. Document both parts of that prosthetic service.

What documentation supports 21076?

Record the maxillary defect and related surgery, the impression and preparation performed, and that the obturator is intended for the surgical phase.

Can modifier 50 be reported for bilateral work?

No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service’s descriptor and anatomy.

What applies when other procedures are performed in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, with other procedures subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity.

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 21076PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,861 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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