CPT code 39501: Diaphragm repair, laceration repair2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $809.97 for 39501 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 39501 covers

Code 39501 describes operative closure of a tear in the diaphragm, often an acute injury found during exploration for penetrating or blunt thoracoabdominal trauma. A trauma or general surgeon may repair the defect through an abdominal or chest operation, usually in a hospital facility. The code is for laceration repair, rather than repair of a diaphragmatic hernia.

Select the code when the operative report documents a diaphragmatic laceration and its repair. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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 50% multiple procedure reduction. Report the repair once; modifier 50 is not appropriate. An assistant at surgery may be paid, co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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 39501 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

39501 rates by state

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

How the 39501 rate is calculated

Each of 39501’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 39501

39501 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

39501 compared with similar codes

How to choose

39540Diaphragm hernia repairChronic traumatic hernia

This code is for traumatic diaphragmatic hernia repair through a thoracic or abdominal approach. Choose 39501 when the operative target is a diaphragmatic laceration.

39541Diaphragm repairTraumatic hernia, thoracic approach

This code is for traumatic diaphragmatic hernia repair through a thoracoabdominal approach. A laceration repair is reported with 39501.

39560Diaphragm resectionSimple resection

This code describes diaphragm resection with simple closure. Use 39501 when the documented service repairs a laceration rather than resecting diaphragm.

Codes related to 39501

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