FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

CPT code 21705: Neck muscle surgery, muscle resection2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports resection of sternocleidomastoid muscle, typically to address congenital muscular torticollis when muscle excision is performed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities21 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $494.33 for 21705 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 21705

Neck muscle surgery, muscle resection

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
9.67
Total RVUs
14.80
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$494.33

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 21705 →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 21705 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 21705 covers

This open operation removes sternocleidomastoid muscle tissue to release persistent restriction, most commonly in a patient with congenital muscular torticollis. The surgeon works through the neck to resect the involved muscle; the operative report should identify the muscle treated and describe the excision. The service is generally performed in an operating room rather than an office setting.

Select this code when the documented procedure is muscle resection, not simply division or release, and distinguish it from repair or reconstruction of a congenital muscle abnormality. The operative note should support the indication, side, extent of resection, and work performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, payment is at 150%. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. 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 21705 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

21705 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$447.32
AlaskaUnavailable$624.39
ArizonaUnavailable$479.66
ArkansasUnavailable$441.68
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$513.37
Austin, TXUnavailable$490.67
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$476.58
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$525.59
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$480.49
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$477.90

21705 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.

View every state and territory as a table
21705 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 21705 rate is calculated

Each of 21705’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 · 21705

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work9.67

9.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense2.65

2.65 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice2.48

2.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

14.8000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$494.33

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 21705

21705 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 21705

Neck muscle surgery, muscle resection

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
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 · 21705

Neck muscle surgery, muscle resection

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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

21705 without 50 · national facility

$494.33

Neck muscle surgery, muscle resection

21705-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$741.50

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

21705 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 21705

    Neck muscle surgery, muscle resection9.67 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 21700

    Scalene division, without cervical rib resection6.15 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 21720

    Neck muscle repair, SCM plastic operation5.66 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 21725

    Neck muscle revision, sternocleidomastoid muscle7.01 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

21700Scalene divisionWithout cervical rib resection
21700 describes division of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Report 21705 when the documented operation resects muscle tissue.
21720Neck muscle repairSCM plastic operation
21720 concerns repair of a congenital sternocleidomastoid muscle abnormality; 21705 is for resection of the muscle.
21725Neck muscle revisionSternocleidomastoid muscle
21725 is a related congenital muscle repair code, whereas 21705 describes muscle resection rather than repair.

Codes related to 21705

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

Codes related to 21705
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
21700Scalene division, without cervical rib resectionRelated sternocleidomastoid procedure involving division rather than muscle resection.No office rate
21720Neck muscle repair, SCM plastic operationRelated code for repair of a congenital sternocleidomastoid muscle abnormality.No office rate
21725Neck muscle revision, sternocleidomastoid muscleRelated code for congenital sternocleidomastoid muscle repair using a different repair approach.No office rate

21705 billing questions

How does 21705 differ from 21700?

Use 21705 for resection of sternocleidomastoid muscle tissue. Code 21700 describes division of the muscle, so the operative technique documented determines the choice.

What documentation supports reporting 21705?

The operative report should identify the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the side, the reason for surgery, and the resection performed. A diagnosis of torticollis alone does not establish that muscle resection occurred.

Can 21705 be reported bilaterally?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; report modifier 50 when the procedure is performed bilaterally. Payment is at 150%.

Are postoperative visits included?

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

Can an assistant surgeon be paid for 21705?

CMS indicates that an assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

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

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 21705PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,020 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 21705 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets · Coming soon

Put 21705 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.

Join the waitlist