CPT code 21627: Sternal debridement2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $555.46 for 21627 nationally in a facility.

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

What 21627 covers

The surgeon removes infected or nonviable tissue from the sternum and operative wound, often to control a deep infection or sternal osteomyelitis after median sternotomy. Cardiothoracic and thoracic surgeons typically perform the procedure in a hospital operating room. The work is focused on cleaning the affected sternal area; it is distinct from removing a portion of sternum as an ostectomy or performing a radical resection.

Report the service when the operative note supports debridement of the sternum, including the site and extent of affected tissue addressed and the reason for treatment. This major surgery has 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 the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. 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 21627 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

21627 rates by state

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

How the 21627 rate is calculated

Each of 21627’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 21627

21627 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

21627 compared with similar codes

How to choose

21620Sternal ostectomyPartial sternum removal

Choose 21627 for debridement of affected sternal tissue; choose 21620 when the operation removes part of the sternum as an ostectomy.

21630Sternum resectionRadical resection

21630 describes radical sternal resection, such as for a substantially different resection objective; it is not the code for routine infected-wound debridement.

21750Sternal repairPostoperative separation

21750 describes closure of a separated median sternotomy and includes debridement when performed. 21627 describes sternal debridement itself.

11044Wound debridementBone, first 20 sq cm

11044 is a general wound debridement code for work at bone level. 21627 is specific to debridement involving the sternum.

Codes related to 21627

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

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