CPT code 39501: Diaphragm repair, laceration repair2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Report 39501 for operative repair of a diaphragmatic tear, commonly encountered during surgery for penetrating or blunt thoracoabdominal trauma.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 39501 in Missouri.
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 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 in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | Unavailable | $792.54 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | Unavailable | $798.47 |
| Rest of Missouri | Unavailable | $773.40 |
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.
How the rate is built · 39501
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work13.63
13.63 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.31
7.31 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice3.31
3.31 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
24.2500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$809.97
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 39501
39501 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 39501
Diaphragm repair, laceration repair
| 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) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.09/0.84/0.07 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 39501
Diaphragm repair, laceration repair
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
39501 without 51 · national facility
$809.97
Diaphragm repair, laceration repair
39501-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$404.99
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%).
39501 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
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.
39501 billing questions
How does 39501 differ from traumatic diaphragmatic hernia repair?
Use 39501 for repair of a diaphragmatic laceration. Codes 39540 and 39541 describe repair of a traumatic diaphragmatic hernia, with the approach distinguishing those codes.
What documentation supports 39501?
The operative report should identify the diaphragmatic tear and document that it was repaired. It should distinguish a laceration from a diaphragmatic hernia or a procedure that resects diaphragm.
Are related postoperative visits included?
Yes. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this diaphragm repair.
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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