CPT code 28171: Bone tumor resection, tarsal bone2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,012.38 for 28171 nationally in a facility.

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

What 28171 covers

This operation removes a tumor involving a tarsal bone, such as the talus, calcaneus, or another bone of the midfoot or hindfoot. An orthopedic foot-and-ankle surgeon or podiatric surgeon typically performs it in an operating room, exposing the involved bone and resecting the tumor and the extent of bone required by the operative plan. The specimen may be submitted for pathologic examination.

Select this code when the documented service is a tarsal bone tumor resection, rather than limited curettage or excision of a benign lesion. The operative report should identify the tarsal bone and describe the tumor and extent of resection. Medicare includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care in the major-surgery global period. 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 multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 28171 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

28171 rates by state

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

How the 28171 rate is calculated

Each of 28171’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 28171

28171 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

28171 compared with similar codes

How to choose

28100Bone lesion excisionTalus or calcaneus

28100 describes curettage or excision of a bone cyst or benign tumor in the talus or calcaneus. Use 28171 when the documented procedure is tumor resection rather than that more limited work.

28102Bone lesion excisionTarsal or metatarsal, autograft

28102 covers curettage or excision of a bone cyst or benign tumor in a tarsal bone other than the talus or calcaneus. 28171 is for resection of a tarsal bone tumor.

28173Bone tumor surgeryMetatarsal

28173 is for resection of a tumor involving a metatarsal. 28171 is for a tarsal bone.

28175Bone tumor resectionToe phalanx

28175 is for resection of a tumor involving a toe phalanx. 28171 is for a tarsal bone.

Codes related to 28171

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