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CPT code 27615: Tumor resection, small tumor, under 5 cm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports radical removal of a soft-tissue tumor under 5 cm in the leg or ankle, rather than a biopsy or limited excision.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities211 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $942.91 for 27615 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 27615

Tumor resection, small tumor, under 5 cm

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
15.33
Total RVUs
28.23
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$942.91

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 27615 →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 27615 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 27615 covers

This service involves definitive, radical removal of a soft-tissue tumor in the leg or ankle region when the tumor is under 5 cm. The surgeon removes the lesion and the tissue needed for the planned resection; this is more extensive than sampling a mass or simply excising a localized lesion. Orthopedic oncologists and other surgeons who treat soft-tissue tumors may perform it in an operating room after diagnostic workup.

Choose the code based on the radical extent of the resection and the documented tumor size, not just the incision or specimen label. The operative report should identify the site, tumor size, depth, and extent of tissue removed. This major surgery includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires medical-necessity documentation; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation. 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 27615 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

27615 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$855.09
AlaskaUnavailable$1,170.45
ArizonaUnavailable$917.13
ArkansasUnavailable$844.35
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$971.67
Austin, TXUnavailable$950.02
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$940.48
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$1,000.58
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$906.22
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$919.94

27615 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
27615 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 27615 rate is calculated

Each of 27615’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 · 27615

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work15.33

15.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense9.61

9.61 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice3.29

3.29 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

28.2300

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$942.91

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 27615

27615 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 27615

Tumor resection, small tumor, under 5 cm

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)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
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 · 27615

Tumor resection, small tumor, under 5 cm

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

27615 without 50 · national facility

$942.91

Tumor resection, small tumor, under 5 cm

27615-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,414.37

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

27615 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 27615

    Tumor resection, small tumor, under 5 cm15.33 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 27616

    Tumor resection, leg or ankle, 5 cm or larger19.14 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 27619

    Soft-tissue excision, deep, under 5 cm6.74 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 27618

    Soft-tissue excision, subcutaneous, under 3 cm3.86 wRVU

    $518.38

  • 27614

    Soft-tissue biopsy, deep soft tissue5.66 wRVU

    $610.23

How to choose

27616Tumor resectionLeg or ankle, 5 cm or larger
This code applies to radical resection when the tumor is under 5 cm; 27616 is for a tumor measuring 5 cm or more.
27619Soft-tissue excisionDeep, under 5 cm
27619 is for excision of a deep, subfascial tumor under 5 cm. Choose 27615 when the operative service is a radical resection.
27618Soft-tissue excisionSubcutaneous, under 3 cm
27618 describes limited excision of a superficial tumor under 3 cm, not radical resection.
27614Soft-tissue biopsyDeep soft tissue
27614 is a deep soft-tissue biopsy for diagnosis; 27615 is definitive radical tumor removal.

Codes related to 27615

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

Codes related to 27615
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
27616Tumor resection, leg or ankle, 5 cm or largerRadical resection of a leg or ankle tumor measuring 5 cm or more.No office rate
Used instead
27619Soft-tissue excision, deep, under 5 cmDeep, subfascial tumor excision under 5 cm when the service is not a radical resection.No office rate
27618Soft-tissue excision, subcutaneous, under 3 cmLimited excision of a superficial leg or ankle tumor under 3 cm.$454.51–$681.10
27614Soft-tissue biopsy, deep soft tissueDeep soft-tissue biopsy for diagnosis rather than definitive radical tumor removal.$540.28–$789.35

27615 billing questions

How does this differ from 27616?

Both describe radical tumor resection in the leg or ankle region. Use 27615 for a tumor under 5 cm and 27616 for one measuring 5 cm or more.

When would 27619 be a better choice?

27619 describes excision of a deep, subfascial tumor under 5 cm. Use 27615 when the operative service is a radical resection, rather than that more limited excision.

Can a biopsy be reported as well?

A biopsy may be part of the diagnostic workup, but this code represents definitive radical removal. The operative record should distinguish any separately performed diagnostic procedure from the resection.

What documentation supports reporting 27615?

Document the leg or ankle site, tumor size, depth, and the radical extent of tissue removal. The record should support a tumor under 5 cm and distinguish the service from a biopsy or limited excision.

How are bilateral cases and surgical assistance handled?

Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity, and 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

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 27615PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,974 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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