CPT code 32810: Chest closure, after drainage or thoracic procedure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Surgical closure of a chest-wall opening left after open drainage, commonly for empyema, when the operative wound is ready for definitive closure.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 32810 in Texas.
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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What 32810 covers
A thoracic surgeon closes a chest-wall opening remaining after open drainage, such as drainage performed for empyema, or after another thoracic procedure that left an opening requiring closure. The service is generally performed in an operating room, often in a hospital facility, as a distinct operative closure rather than routine closure of an incision made during the current operation.
Report the code when the operative record supports closure of the chest-wall opening and identifies the prior drainage or other procedure that led to it. Documentation should describe the opening and the closure performed. Medicare classifies the service as major surgery with a 90-day global period, including 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 32810 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 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Unavailable | $876.15 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $841.28 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $848.39 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $859.73 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $858.68 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $854.79 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $921.78 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $848.42 |
How the 32810 rate is calculated
Each of 32810’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 · 32810
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work14.58
14.58 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.92
7.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice3.66
3.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
26.1600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$873.77
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 32810
32810 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 32810
Chest closure, after drainage or thoracic procedure
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| 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) | 0.10/0.76/0.14 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 32810
Chest closure, after drainage or thoracic procedure
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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
32810 without 51 · national facility
$873.77
Chest closure, after drainage or thoracic procedure
32810-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$436.89
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
32810 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 32815Fistula closureBronchial fistula
- Choose 32810 for a chest-wall opening left after drainage or another procedure; 32815 targets a bronchial fistula.
- 32820Chest wall reconstructionMajor reconstruction
- 32820 addresses reconstruction of an injured chest wall. This code is for closure following open drainage or another thoracic procedure.
- 32800Lung hernia repair
- 32800 repairs a lung hernia through the chest wall; this code closes an opening left after drainage or another procedure.
32810 billing questions
When is this code used instead of closure of a bronchial fistula?
Use this code for closure of a chest-wall opening remaining after drainage or another thoracic procedure. Use 32815 when the operative target is a bronchial fistula.
Does this code cover the original drainage procedure?
It represents the later chest-wall closure, not the drainage itself. The operative documentation should establish the relationship between the opening and the prior drainage or other procedure.
Should modifier 50 be reported for bilateral closure?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
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 surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. 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
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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