CPT code 38531: Groin node surgery, open inguinofemoral nodes2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Report open surgical sampling or removal of inguinofemoral lymph nodes for diagnostic evaluation or cancer staging when the groin node basin is involved.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 38531 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 38531 covers
The surgeon makes an incision in the groin to obtain or remove one or more inguinofemoral lymph nodes for diagnostic evaluation or staging. Typical situations include sampling a suspicious groin node or a mapped node during evaluation of vulvar or skin malignancy. General, gynecologic, and surgical oncologists commonly perform the procedure in an operating room. This code represents open node sampling or excision, rather than removal of an entire nodal basin.
Choose the code based on the open approach and inguinofemoral location. The operative report should identify the groin nodal basin and describe the nodes sampled or removed and the reason for the procedure. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery is paid only when medical necessity is documented; 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 38531 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 | $435.98 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $414.40 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $420.89 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $426.15 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $425.27 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $423.82 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $453.66 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $419.17 |
How the 38531 rate is calculated
Each of 38531’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 · 38531
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.57
6.57 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.75
4.75 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.63
1.63 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
12.9500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$432.54
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 38531
38531 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 38531
Groin node surgery, open inguinofemoral nodes
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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) | 0.11/0.73/0.16 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 38531
Groin node surgery, open inguinofemoral nodes
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
38531 without 50 · national facility
$432.54
Groin node surgery, open inguinofemoral nodes
38531-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$648.81
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).
38531 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 38500Lymph node biopsyOpen, superficial node
- Both describe open node sampling or removal, but 38531 is specific to inguinofemoral nodes; 38500 applies to superficial nodes at other sites.
- 38505Lymph node biopsyNeedle, superficial node
- Use 38505 for needle sampling of a lymph node. Use 38531 when the surgeon obtains or removes the groin node through an open approach.
- 38760Groin lymphadenectomySuperficial, includes Cloquet's node
- Code 38760 describes a superficial inguinal lymphadenectomy, a broader nodal dissection. Code 38531 describes open sampling or excision of inguinofemoral nodes.
38531 billing questions
How does this differ from an open superficial-node biopsy elsewhere?
Use this code when the open node procedure is in the inguinofemoral basin. Code 38500 describes open sampling or removal of superficial nodes at other sites.
Can a needle sample of a groin node be reported with this code?
No. Code 38505 describes needle sampling of a lymph node; this code is for an open surgical approach.
Does this code describe a complete inguinal lymphadenectomy?
It describes open sampling or removal of inguinofemoral nodes, not a broad nodal-basin dissection. A more extensive dissection may require a different code based on its extent.
How is bilateral surgery reported?
When the procedure is performed bilaterally, report modifier 50; CMS pays it at 150%.
What documentation supports an assistant-at-surgery claim?
Document the assistant's role and the medical necessity for assistance. CMS payment for an assistant at surgery is limited to cases with documented medical necessity.
Are related postoperative visits included?
Yes. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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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