CPT code 26115: Hand mass excision, subcutaneous, under 1.5 cm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $588.19 for 26115 nationally in the office and $321.32 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $514.82–$782.67.

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

What 26115 covers

A surgeon removes a small soft-tissue mass located beneath the skin of the hand or a finger. The code fits a superficial lesion, such as a discrete subcutaneous nodule, rather than a mass extending into deeper structures. Hand and orthopedic surgeons commonly perform the procedure in an operating room or ambulatory surgery setting; the operative report should identify the site, tissue depth, lesion size, and extent of removal.

Select this code when the lesion is subcutaneous and under 1.5 cm; a lesion at least 1.5 cm or one involving deeper tissue belongs to a different code in the excision family. 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and 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 26115 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

26115 rates by state

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

How the 26115 rate is calculated

Each of 26115’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 26115

26115 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

26115 compared with similar codes

How to choose

26111Hand mass excisionSubcutaneous, 1.5 cm or larger

Use 26111 for a subcutaneous hand or finger lesion measuring 1.5 cm or larger; 26115 is for one under 1.5 cm.

26116Hand tumor excisionDeep, under 1.5 cm

Use 26116 when the lesion is deep rather than subcutaneous, even if it is under 1.5 cm.

26160Tendon sheath excisionHand or finger lesion

Use 26160 for a lesion of a tendon sheath or joint capsule. This code describes a subcutaneous soft-tissue lesion.

26117Hand tumor resectionTumor under 3 cm

26117 describes radical resection of a hand tumor, not routine excision of a small subcutaneous mass.

Codes related to 26115

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates