CPT code 23330: Foreign-body removal, shoulder, subcutaneous2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $328.33 for 23330 nationally in the office and $166.34 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $286.15–$440.83.

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

What 23330 covers

This service covers surgical removal of a foreign object from the subcutaneous tissue of the shoulder. An orthopedic surgeon or another qualified surgeon may perform it when a retained object, such as a fragment beneath the skin, requires removal through an incision. The shoulder location and superficial tissue depth distinguish this service from removal of a deeper object.

Choose this code when the operative report supports a subcutaneous shoulder location; a deep object points to the corresponding deep-removal code. Document the object’s location and depth, the removal performed, and the treated side. Medicare assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. 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 23330 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

23330 rates by state

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

How the 23330 rate is calculated

Each of 23330’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 23330

23330 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

23330 compared with similar codes

How to choose

23333Foreign body removalDeep shoulder foreign body

The key distinction is tissue depth: 23330 is for a subcutaneous shoulder object, while 23333 is for a deep object.

10120Foreign body removalSimple subcutaneous extraction

10120 is a general code for simple removal of a subcutaneous foreign body. Use the shoulder-specific code when the documented site and procedure meet that code's criteria.

23334Prosthesis removalShoulder joint

23334 concerns removal of a shoulder prosthesis. This code is for a separate foreign object in subcutaneous shoulder tissue, not removal of a prosthesis.

Codes related to 23330

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