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CPT code 21179: Forehead reconstruction, with grafts2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports reconstructive surgery of the forehead using graft material to restore contour or structure after congenital deformity, trauma, or surgical resection.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $1,343.05 for 21179 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 21179

Forehead reconstruction, with grafts

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
22.08
Total RVUs
40.21
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,343.05

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 21179 →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 21179 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 21179 covers

This code represents operative reconstruction of the forehead using graft material to restore or reshape the affected area. Craniofacial and plastic surgeons may perform the procedure for a congenital craniofacial deformity, a traumatic defect, or a defect remaining after tumor or other surgical resection. The operative report should describe the forehead reconstruction, the defect addressed, and the graft material used; the diagnosis alone does not establish this service.

Report the code when the documented operation matches forehead reconstruction with grafts, rather than a procedure focused on the orbit or broader cranial bone. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 21179 pays more and less

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

109 of 109 payment localities

21179 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,225.04
AlaskaUnavailable$1,680.77
ArizonaUnavailable$1,308.80
ArkansasUnavailable$1,210.56
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$1,380.29
Austin, TXUnavailable$1,356.09
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$1,348.50
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$1,421.51
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$1,291.15
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$1,314.60

21179 rates by state

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

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
21179 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 21179 rate is calculated

Each of 21179’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 · 21179

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work22.08

22.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense14.03

14.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice4.10

4.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

40.2100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,343.05

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 21179

21179 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 21179

Forehead reconstruction, with grafts

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)2Paid.
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 · 21179

Forehead reconstruction, with grafts

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

21179 without 51 · national facility

$1,343.05

Forehead reconstruction, with grafts

21179-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$671.53

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

21179 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 21179

    Forehead reconstruction, with grafts22.08 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 21180

    Forehead reconstruction, autograft24.94 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 21175

    Forehead reconstruction, bifrontal orbital rim advancement32.72 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 21182

    Cranial cranioplasty, multiple autografts, small defect31.77 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

21180Forehead reconstructionAutograft
This code describes forehead reconstruction with grafts; 21180 specifically identifies an autogenous bone graft. Follow the documented graft and operative service when selecting between them.
21175Forehead reconstructionBifrontal orbital rim advancement
Use 21175 when the operation matches its bifrontal, supraorbital rim, and lower-forehead reconstruction pattern, rather than the forehead graft reconstruction represented here.
21182Cranial cranioplastyMultiple autografts, small defect
Code 21182 concerns reconstruction of cranial bone. This code is directed to reconstruction of the forehead using graft material.

Codes related to 21179

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

Codes related to 21179
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
21180Forehead reconstruction, autograftRelated forehead reconstruction code that specifically identifies use of an autogenous bone graft.No office rate
Used instead
21172Forehead reconstruction, supraorbital rim and lower foreheadConsider when the documented reconstruction focuses on the superolateral orbit and forehead.No office rate
21175Forehead reconstruction, bifrontal orbital rim advancementCovers a different bifrontal and supraorbital reconstruction pattern involving the lower forehead.No office rate
21182Cranial cranioplasty, multiple autografts, small defectAddresses cranial bone reconstruction rather than the forehead graft reconstruction described here.No office rate

21179 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 21180?

Both describe forehead reconstruction involving grafting. Code 21180 specifically identifies an autogenous bone graft, so use the operative details and the applicable descriptor to distinguish the services.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

Document the forehead defect or deformity, the reconstructive work performed, and the graft material used. The diagnosis by itself does not show that graft-based forehead reconstruction was performed.

Can modifier 50 be appended for both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 should not be used.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

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

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

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 21179PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,900 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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