CPT code 25120: Bone lesion removal, radius or ulna, without graft2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports surgical excision or curettage of a benign bone cyst or tumor in the radius or ulna when bone grafting is not included.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 25120 in Illinois.
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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What 25120 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses this service to remove or curette a benign bone cyst or tumor located in the radius or ulna. The operation treats a lesion in the forearm bone itself, not a ganglion, tendon-sheath growth, or other soft-tissue mass. It is typically performed in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the affected bone and describing the lesion treatment. A specimen may be submitted for pathologic examination when clinically indicated.
Report 25120 when the documented procedure is excision or curettage of the radius or ulna lesion and the service does not include bone grafting. The operative note should support the bone involved, lesion, and work performed; use a grafting sibling when grafting is part of the procedure. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. In a same-session multiple-procedure situation, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. Modifier 50 for bilateral surgery is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires medical-necessity documentation, co-surgeon payment requires 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 25120 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | Unavailable | $529.78 |
| East St. Louis, IL | Unavailable | $497.45 |
| Rest of Illinois | Unavailable | $477.75 |
| Suburban Chicago, IL | Unavailable | $513.91 |
How the 25120 rate is calculated
Each of 25120’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 · 25120
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.11
6.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.92
6.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.20
1.20 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
14.2300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$475.29
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 25120
25120 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 25120
Bone lesion removal, radius or ulna, without graft
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 25120
Bone lesion removal, radius or ulna, without graft
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
25120 without 50 · national facility
$475.29
Bone lesion removal, radius or ulna, without graft
25120-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$712.94
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).
25120 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 25125Bone lesion excisionForearm, with autograft
- Choose 25125 when the forearm bone-lesion procedure includes grafting; 25120 describes lesion removal or curettage without grafting.
- 25115Lesion excisionWrist or forearm
- 25115 concerns a wrist or forearm soft-tissue lesion. Use 25120 when the treated lesion is in the radius or ulna.
- 25130Wrist bone lesionWithout bone graft
- 25130 is for a benign bone cyst or tumor in a carpal bone; 25120 is for the radius or ulna.
25120 billing questions
When is 25120 appropriate instead of a soft-tissue lesion code?
Use 25120 for curettage or excision of a benign lesion in the radius or ulna. A lesion in a tendon, tendon sheath, or other soft tissue is not a forearm bone lesion.
How does 25120 differ from 25125 or 25126?
Those related forearm-lesion codes include bone grafting. Report 25120 when the documented lesion removal or curettage does not include grafting.
Is related postoperative care separately reported?
The 90-day global period includes related postoperative care for 90 days and the day-before preoperative visit.
How is bilateral surgery handled?
For a bilateral procedure, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS rule for this code.
What documentation supports assistant or co-surgeon payment?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation.
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
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