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CPT code 26030: Palm bursa drainage, complicated drainage2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports operative drainage of a complicated palmar bursa, typically for a substantial or complex infection requiring more than straightforward bursal drainage.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities143 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $465.94 for 26030 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 26030

Palm bursa drainage, complicated drainage

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
6.09
Total RVUs
13.95
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$465.94

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 26030 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 26030 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 26030 covers

A hand surgeon drains an infected palmar bursa through an operative approach, evacuating its contents and managing the involved bursal space. This procedure is distinct from draining a localized finger abscess or opening a hand tendon sheath. It is generally performed in an operating-room setting; CMS data show facility claims for this service.

Select this code when the operative report supports complicated palmar bursa drainage rather than the simpler service in the same family. Document the involved bursa, infection findings, extent of the procedure, and work performed to support the complexity. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery 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 other procedures at 50%. 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 26030 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

26030 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$420.84
AlaskaUnavailable$564.28
ArizonaUnavailable$453.31
ArkansasUnavailable$415.25
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$478.11
Austin, TXUnavailable$474.74
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$475.65
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$494.88
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$443.07
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$456.82

26030 rates by state

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

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Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
26030 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 26030 rate is calculated

Each of 26030’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 · 26030

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work6.09

6.09 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense6.67

6.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.19

1.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

13.9500

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$465.94

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 26030

26030 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 26030

Palm bursa drainage, complicated drainage

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 26030

Palm bursa drainage, complicated drainage

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

26030 without 50 · national facility

$465.94

Palm bursa drainage, complicated drainage

26030-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$698.91

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).

When to use modifier 50

26030 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 26030

    Palm bursa drainage, complicated drainage6.09 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 26025

    Palm bursa drainage, single bursa4.95 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 26020

    Tendon sheath drainage, hand, infectious tenosynovitis6.67 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 26011

    Finger abscess drainage, complicated abscess2.18 wRVU

    $517.05

How to choose

26025Palm bursa drainageSingle bursa
Both concern palmar bursa drainage, but 26030 represents the complicated service. Use 26025 when the drainage is not documented as complicated.
26020Tendon sheath drainageHand, infectious tenosynovitis
26020 addresses drainage of a hand or finger tendon sheath; 26030 targets a palmar bursa. Choose by the anatomic space treated.
26011Finger abscess drainageComplicated abscess
26011 is for a complicated abscess of a finger. 26030 is for complicated drainage of a palmar bursa.

Codes related to 26030

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 26030
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
26025Palm bursa drainage, single bursaThe less complex palmar bursa drainage service in the same code family.No office rate
Used instead
26020Tendon sheath drainage, hand, infectious tenosynovitisUsed for drainage directed to a hand or finger tendon sheath.No office rate
26010Abscess drainage, finger, simpleFor a simple finger abscess rather than drainage of a palmar bursa.$326.29–$515.22
26011Finger abscess drainage, complicated abscessFor a complicated finger abscess, not a complicated palmar bursa.$449.47–$708.39

26030 billing questions

How does this differ from 26025?

26030 is for complicated palmar bursa drainage; 26025 is the less complex sibling service. The operative note should substantiate the additional complexity.

What documentation supports the complicated service?

Identify the palmar bursa and describe the infection, extent of involvement, and drainage work performed. The record should make clear why the procedure was complicated rather than straightforward.

Should this be used for an infected tendon sheath?

No. A hand tendon-sheath infection is a different anatomic target; consider 26020 when the procedure drains a tendon sheath rather than a palmar bursa.

Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral drainage?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure: modifier 50 is paid at 150%. The operative documentation should establish treatment of both sides.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

Under the standard multiple-procedure rule, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%.

Can an assistant surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only when medical necessity is documented. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.

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
RVUs for 26030PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,531 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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