CPT code 24201: Foreign body removal, deep upper arm or elbow2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Removal of a deeply embedded foreign body in the upper arm or elbow area when surgical exposure and dissection are needed.
Medicare pays $600.07–$644.31 for 24201 in the office in Missouri, from Rest of Missouri to Metropolitan St. Louis, MO. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 24201 covers
This service covers surgical removal of a foreign object located deep in the upper arm or elbow area, rather than just beneath the skin. A surgeon exposes and dissects to the object, such as a retained fragment embedded in deeper tissue. It may be performed in an outpatient operating room or, when appropriate, another procedural setting. The operative report should identify the site, depth, and work required to locate and remove the object.
Report 24201 when the foreign body is deep in the specified anatomic area; use the subcutaneous-level code for an object confined to tissue just under the skin. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, payment is 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services are not 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 24201 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$600.07 to $644.31
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | $637.23 | $379.11 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | $644.31 | $382.62 |
| Rest of Missouri | $600.07 | $363.12 |
How the 24201 rate is calculated
Each of 24201’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 · 24201
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work4.58
4.58 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense14.41
14.41 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.99
0.99 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
19.9800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$667.35
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 24201
24201 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 24201
Foreign body removal, deep upper arm or elbow
| 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| 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 · 24201
Foreign body removal, deep upper arm or elbow
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
24201 without 50 · national office
$667.35
Foreign body removal, deep upper arm or elbow
24201-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,001.03
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).
24201 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 24200Foreign body removalUpper arm or elbow, subcutaneous
- Choose 24200 for a foreign body in the upper arm or elbow area that is limited to subcutaneous tissue; 24201 describes deeper removal.
- 20525Foreign body removalDeep or complicated
- Use 20525 when the documented site is muscle or a tendon sheath and the removal is deep or complicated. Code 24201 identifies the upper arm or elbow area.
- 20520Foreign body removalMuscle or tendon, simple
- 20520 describes simple removal from muscle or a tendon sheath. 24201 is for a deep foreign body in the upper arm or elbow area.
24201 billing questions
How does 24201 differ from 24200?
24201 is for a foreign body deep in the upper arm or elbow area. Use 24200 when it is confined to the subcutaneous tissue.
What documentation supports reporting 24201?
Document the upper arm or elbow location, the object's depth, and the operative work used to expose and remove it. The record should make clear why the object was not merely subcutaneous.
How is a bilateral procedure reported?
Report modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure; CMS pays it at 150%.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and co-surgeons are not permitted. Team surgery is also not permitted.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How does the multiple-procedure reduction work?
When other procedures are performed in the same session, 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
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