CPT code 21180: Forehead reconstruction, autograft2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Washington, DC area

In Washington, DC area, Medicare pays $1,648.58 for 21180 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 21180 nationwide

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

What 21180 covers

A craniofacial surgeon, plastic surgeon, or neurosurgeon may use this service to rebuild forehead contour or structure with tissue taken from the patient. The operative plan and report should identify the forehead reconstruction performed and the autograft used. Cases may arise in craniofacial reconstruction after congenital deformity, trauma, or removal of abnormal tissue, when the surgeon determines autologous grafting is part of the repair.

Select this code when the documented reconstruction includes an autograft; distinguish it from nearby forehead codes by the anatomy treated and the graft technique described in the operative report. CMS classifies the procedure as major surgery with a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. If 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. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 Washington, DC area compares for 21180

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 21180 runs from $1,349.06 in Arkansas to $1,875.79 in Alaska. Washington, DC area pays $1,648.58. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

21180 rates by state

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

See 21180 in every payment locality

How the 21180 rate is calculated

Each of 21180’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 21180

21180 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

Codes related to 21180

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

How 21180 has changed in Washington, DC area

Price 21180 for an earlier date of service

Where the Washington, DC area rate applies

Washington, DC area is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 1 cities and communities in District of Columbia. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Washington

Browse all communities in District of Columbia

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates