CPT code 27301: Deep drainage, thigh or knee region2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports open drainage of a deep abscess, bursa, or hematoma in the thigh or knee region, rather than a superficial skin collection.
Medicare pays $676.10–$741.25 for 27301 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 27301 covers
A surgeon opens the deep tissue planes of the thigh or knee region to evacuate a collection such as an abscess, infected bursa, or hematoma. Orthopedic surgeons commonly perform this service in an operating room, although the appropriate setting depends on the patient and the collection. The operative report should establish the site and depth and describe the collection and its drainage. A superficial skin abscess, a collection within bone, and a knee-joint procedure represent different services.
Report the code when the documented work is deep incision and drainage in the thigh or knee region, not excision of a mass or drainage limited to the skin. This major surgery code includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 27301 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
$676.10 to $741.25
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $741.25 | $492.47 |
| Beaumont, TX | $676.10 | $462.12 |
| Brazoria, TX | $707.25 | $474.22 |
| Dallas, TX | $713.48 | $479.27 |
| Fort Worth, TX | $709.59 | $477.74 |
| Galveston, TX | $710.46 | $476.96 |
| Houston, TX | $736.82 | $503.32 |
| Rest of Texas | $692.44 | $469.29 |
How the 27301 rate is calculated
Each of 27301’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 · 27301
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.61
6.61 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense13.51
13.51 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.44
1.44 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
21.5600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$720.12
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27301
27301 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27301
Deep drainage, thigh or knee region
| 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 · 27301
Deep drainage, thigh or knee region
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
27301 without 50 · national office
$720.12
Deep drainage, thigh or knee region
27301-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,080.18
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).
27301 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 10060Abscess drainageSimple, single abscess
- Use 10060 for a superficial cutaneous abscess. Use 27301 when the collection is deep in the thigh or knee region.
- 27303Bone drainageFemur or knee region
- 27303 addresses drainage of a bone lesion. This code is for a deep abscess, bursa, or hematoma in the thigh or knee region.
- 27310Knee arthrotomyExploration, drainage, or foreign body
- 27310 involves operative exploration or treatment of the knee joint. This code addresses deep drainage in the region, not an intra-articular procedure.
27301 billing questions
How does this differ from drainage of a superficial abscess?
This code is for a deep collection in the thigh or knee region. A collection confined to the skin or superficial tissue is considered under the applicable superficial abscess drainage code.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
Document the thigh or knee location, the deep tissue site, the type of collection, and the incision-and-drainage work performed. The record should distinguish a deep soft-tissue or bursal collection from a joint or bone process.
Can another drainage code be reported for the same collection?
Do not report a second drainage code for the same collection simply to represent its incision or evacuation. The operative documentation should identify any distinct, separately treated site.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed for this procedure?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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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