CPT code 39499: Mediastinal procedure, unlisted procedure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports an unlisted surgical procedure involving the mediastinum when no specific CPT code describes the service performed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 39499 in Florida.
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 39499 covers
CPT 39499 represents an unlisted surgical procedure involving the mediastinum, the central compartment of the chest between the lungs. It is selected when no listed CPT code specifically describes the mediastinal service performed. It should not replace a listed code that accurately describes the procedure, such as mediastinoscopy with biopsy or mediastinoscopy with lymph node biopsy. The code identifies an unlisted service rather than a particular named operation.
Medicare assigns status C, or carrier priced: CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim. The contractor also sets the global period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Report the code for the unlisted mediastinal procedure performed.
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 39499 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Miami, FL | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Rest of Florida | Unavailable | Unavailable |
How the 39499 rate is calculated
Each of 39499’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 · 39499
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.0000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$0.00
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 39499
The CMS indicators that decide how 39499 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 39499
Mediastinal procedure, unlisted procedure
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | YYY | The Medicare contractor sets the global period. |
| 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) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
39499 without 51 · national facility
$0.00
Mediastinal procedure, unlisted procedure
39499-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$0.00
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%).
39499 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
39499 vs 39401 vs 39402: Medicare rates
How to choose
- 39401MediastinoscopyMediastinal tissue biopsy
- 39401 describes mediastinoscopy with biopsy. Use 39499 only when the mediastinal procedure performed is not described by a listed code.
- 39402MediastinoscopyLymph node biopsy
- 39402 describes mediastinoscopy with lymph node biopsy. A different mediastinal procedure without a matching listed code may be reported with 39499.
39499 billing questions
When should 39499 be used instead of a listed mediastinal code?
Use it when no specific CPT code describes the mediastinal procedure performed. If a listed code accurately describes the service, report that code instead.
How does 39499 differ from 39401 and 39402?
Those codes describe specific mediastinoscopy procedures with biopsy. Use 39499 only when the procedure performed is not described by a listed code.
What should documentation describe for 39499?
Describe the procedure performed, the mediastinal anatomy involved, the approach, and the work done so the unlisted service is clear.
How does Medicare price 39499?
Medicare assigns status C, so CMS publishes no national payment and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim.
Who sets the global period for 39499?
The Medicare Administrative Contractor sets the global period.
What happens when 39499 is performed with another procedure in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction.
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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