CPT code 26011: Finger abscess drainage, complicated abscess2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Drainage of a complicated finger abscess, including a felon, is reported when the collection requires more involved treatment than a simple abscess.
Medicare pays $477.34–$540.49 for 26011 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont, TX to Austin, TX. 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 26011 covers
This service involves opening and draining a complicated abscess in a finger. A typical example is a felon, a purulent collection in the fingertip pulp. A hand surgeon or other qualified clinician may perform the procedure in an office, emergency department, or operating room, depending on the clinical circumstances.
Select this code when the documented finger abscess is complicated; a simple finger abscess is represented by 26010. The note should identify the affected finger, abscess location and complexity, and the drainage performed. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are reduced to 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid, and co-surgeon and team-surgery reporting 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 26011 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 payment localities
$477.34 to $540.49
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $540.49 | $186.40 |
| Beaumont, TX | $477.34 | $172.78 |
| Brazoria, TX | $510.60 | $178.93 |
| Dallas, TX | $513.94 | $180.60 |
| Fort Worth, TX | $509.83 | $179.84 |
| Galveston, TX | $512.15 | $179.81 |
| Houston, TX | $520.02 | $187.69 |
| Rest of Texas | $493.73 | $176.12 |
How the 26011 rate is calculated
Each of 26011’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 · 26011
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.18
2.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense12.87
12.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.43
0.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
15.4800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$517.05
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26011
26011 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26011
Finger abscess drainage, complicated abscess
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 26011
Finger abscess drainage, complicated abscess
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
26011 without 51 · national office
$517.05
Finger abscess drainage, complicated abscess
26011-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$258.53
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
26011 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 26010Abscess drainageFinger, simple
- Choose 26010 for a simple finger abscess. Use 26011 when the finger abscess is complicated, such as a felon.
- 26020Tendon sheath drainageHand, infectious tenosynovitis
- 26020 is for drainage of a hand tendon sheath. Use 26011 when the drained collection is a complicated abscess in the finger.
- 10060Abscess drainageSimple, single abscess
- 10060 describes drainage of a simple or single cutaneous abscess. 26011 is the finger-specific choice for a complicated abscess.
26011 billing questions
How is 26011 distinguished from 26010?
Use 26011 for a complicated finger abscess, such as a felon. Code 26010 represents a simple finger abscess.
Does this code include related postoperative visits?
Yes. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, which includes related postoperative visits during that period.
Can modifier 50 be used when abscesses are drained on both hands?
CMS identifies modifier 50 as inappropriate for this descriptor. Do not apply a bilateral adjustment to 26011.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid for this code. CMS also does not permit co-surgeon or team-surgery reporting.
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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