CPT code 23515: Clavicle fracture repair, open treatment2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports open surgical treatment of a clavicle fracture, with internal fixation when performed, rather than closed fracture care.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 23515 in Texas.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 23515 covers
The surgeon exposes the fractured clavicle, restores alignment, and stabilizes the fracture; fixation may use hardware such as a plate and screws. Orthopedic surgeons commonly perform this procedure in a hospital operating room or ambulatory surgery center when the fracture is managed surgically. The code is for a clavicle fracture, not a sternoclavicular or acromioclavicular joint dislocation.
Choose this code when the operative approach treats the fracture directly, rather than when care is closed. The operative report should identify the clavicle fracture, describe the open treatment and any fixation, and support the decision to operate. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeons require 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.
Where 23515 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Unavailable | $689.60 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $647.57 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $664.62 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $671.49 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $669.34 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $668.33 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $703.84 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $657.53 |
How the 23515 rate is calculated
Each of 23515’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 · 23515
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work9.45
9.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.94
8.94 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.94
1.94 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
20.3300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$679.04
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 23515
23515 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 23515
Clavicle fracture repair, open treatment
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 23515
Clavicle fracture repair, open treatment
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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
23515 without 50 · national facility
$679.04
Clavicle fracture repair, open treatment
23515-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,018.56
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).
23515 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 23500Clavicle fracture careWithout manipulation
- 23500 is for closed treatment without manipulation; 23515 is for open surgical treatment of the clavicle fracture.
- 23505Clavicle fractureWith manipulation
- 23505 describes closed treatment with manipulation. Choose 23515 when the fracture is treated through an open surgical approach.
- 23530Joint dislocation surgerySternoclavicular, without graft
- 23530 concerns operative treatment of a sternoclavicular dislocation, not a clavicle fracture.
23515 billing questions
How does this differ from 23500 or 23505?
Use 23515 for open surgical treatment of a clavicle fracture. Codes 23500 and 23505 describe closed treatment, distinguished by whether manipulation is performed.
Does the code require internal fixation?
The code covers open treatment of the fracture, with internal fixation when performed. The operative report should describe the treatment and document any fixation used.
Can both clavicles be reported?
For bilateral treatment, CMS lists modifier 50 and payment at 150%. The documentation should support treatment of fractures on both sides.
Are postoperative visits included?
Related postoperative care for 90 days is included in the global period, as is the day-before preoperative visit.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
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
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