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CPT code 41018: Abscess drainage, parapharyngeal space, external approach2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Los Angeles, CA

Reports surgical drainage of an abscess in the parapharyngeal space through an external approach, typically for a deep neck infection requiring operative access.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality165 Medicare services in 2024

In Los Angeles, CA, Medicare pays $612.36 for 41018 in the office and $406.89 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$612.36Office (non-facility)
$406.89Hospital or facility
+11.7%vs the national office rate ($548.44)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 41018 nationwide

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

We’ll open 41018 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Los Angeles, CA
  2. What 41018 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 41018 covers

This service involves surgically opening and draining an infected collection in the parapharyngeal space through an external, typically transcervical, approach. It is generally performed by an otolaryngologist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon in an operating room when the infection’s location or extent calls for operative access to this deep space. The operative work addresses the parapharyngeal collection, rather than a more superficial mouth or neck abscess.

Report the code when the documented site is the parapharyngeal space and the surgeon performs external drainage. The operative note should identify the involved space, approach, and drainage performed; a general diagnosis of a neck abscess alone does not establish the specific service. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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.

How Los Angeles, CA compares for 41018

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 41018 runs from $486.93 in Arkansas to $712.93 in San Benito County, CA. Los Angeles, CA pays $612.36. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

41018 in Los Angeles, CA vs other payment areas
  1. Los Angeles, CA · this page$612.36
  2. Bakersfield, CA · California$576.45−$35.91
  3. Chico, CA · California$574.38−$37.98
  4. El Centro, CA · California$574.50−$37.86
  5. Fresno, CA · California$574.38−$37.98
  6. Hanford, CA · California$574.38−$37.98
  7. Madera, CA · California$574.38−$37.98

Other areas in California first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

41018 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Merced, CACalifornia$574.38$384.02
Modesto, CACalifornia$574.38$384.02
Napa, CACalifornia$660.29$431.37
Oxnard, CACalifornia$608.82$403.53
Redding, CACalifornia$574.38$384.02
Rest of CaliforniaCalifornia$574.38$384.02
Riverside, CACalifornia$582.07$391.71
Sacramento, CACalifornia$601.38$399.38

41018 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$486.93

$645.86

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
41018 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$645.861
AL$493.811
AR$486.931
AZ$534.031
CA$574.38–$712.9329
CO$567.991
CT$584.141
DC$623.441
DE$542.641
FL$544.76–$599.253
GA$514.69–$559.392
GU$587.061
HI$587.061
IA$503.991
ID$507.571
IL$530.93–$582.124
IN$510.361
KS$502.631
KY$507.051
LA$506.65–$530.742
MA$565.15–$621.622
MD$552.45–$623.443
ME$511.10–$536.502
MI$520.64–$552.302
MN$542.031
MO$498.88–$531.463
MS$492.951
MT$548.401
NC$516.121
ND$534.361
NE$506.381
NH$560.021
NJ$590.18–$617.522
NM$523.771
NV$544.841
NY$523.66–$646.695
OH$517.771
OK$505.201
OR$539.98–$584.472
PA$518.05–$570.622
PR$551.991
RI$560.821
SC$517.931
SD$532.701
TN$505.181
TX$514.83–$566.658
UT$524.741
VA$535.44–$623.442
VI$551.991
VT$533.181
WA$563.79–$633.122
WI$517.131
WV$512.201
WY$542.281

See 41018 in every payment locality

How the 41018 rate is calculated

Each of 41018’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 · 41018

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work5.09

5.09 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense10.62

10.62 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.71

0.71 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

16.4200

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$548.44

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

The exact Los Angeles, CA inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

4,893

Code
41018
Physician work
5.09
Practice expense
10.62
Malpractice
0.71

GPCI2026.csv

13

Locality
Los Angeles, CA
Physician work
1.041
Practice expense
1.183
Malpractice
0.664
Office calculation for 41018 in Los Angeles, CA
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work5.09× 1.0415.2987
Practice expense10.62× 1.18312.5635
Malpractice0.71× 0.6640.4714
Total RVUs18.3336
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Los Angeles, CA$612.36

Office: (5.09 × 1.041 + 10.62 × 1.183 + 0.71 × 0.664) × $33.4009 = $612.36

Facility: (5.09 × 1.041 + 5.42 × 1.183 + 0.71 × 0.664) × $33.4009 = $406.89

Open 41018 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 41018

41018 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 41018

Abscess drainage, parapharyngeal space, external approach

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.09/0.81/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 41018

Abscess drainage, parapharyngeal space, external approach

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

41018 without 51 · national office

$548.44

Abscess drainage, parapharyngeal space, external approach

41018-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$274.22

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%).

When to use modifier 51

Codes related to 41018

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 41018
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Los Angeles, CA
Same family
41015Mouth lesion drainage, extraoral floor-of-mouth approachDrainage of a floor-of-mouth abscess through a submental approach.$458.94
41016Abscess drainage, intraoral deep-space approachDrainage of a floor-of-mouth abscess through a submandibular approach.$543.05
41017Lesion drainage, floor of mouth, intraoralDrainage of an abscess in the masticator space.$537.69

How 41018 has changed in Los Angeles, CA

41018 · Office / nonfacility

$612.36

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $36.42 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $575.94 to $612.36 (6.3%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $575.94changed to$612.36

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 5.22 changed to 5.09
    • Practice expense RVU 10.01 changed to 10.62
    • Malpractice RVU 0.60 changed to 0.71
    • Work GPCI 1.042 changed to 1.041
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.194 changed to 1.183
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.690 changed to 0.664

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $589.68changed to$575.94

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 9.94 changed to 10.01
    • Malpractice RVU 0.59 changed to 0.60

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $580.05changed to$589.68

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $600.56changed to$580.05

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 10.01 changed to 9.94
    • Malpractice RVU 0.56 changed to 0.59
    • Work GPCI 1.045 changed to 1.042
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.185 changed to 1.194
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.724 changed to 0.690

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $602.07changed to$600.56

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 9.79 changed to 10.01
    • Work GPCI 1.048 changed to 1.045
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.175 changed to 1.185
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.757 changed to 0.724

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $603.13changed to$602.07

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 9.72 changed to 9.79
    • Malpractice RVU 0.52 changed to 0.56

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $586.03changed to$603.13

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 8.84 changed to 9.72
    • Work GPCI 1.047 changed to 1.048
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.176 changed to 1.175
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.725 changed to 0.757

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $585.38changed to$586.03

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 8.66 changed to 8.84
    • Malpractice RVU 0.85 changed to 0.52
    • Work GPCI 1.046 changed to 1.047
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.177 changed to 1.176
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.694 changed to 0.725

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $581.60changed to$585.38

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 8.58 changed to 8.66
    • Malpractice RVU 0.86 changed to 0.85

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $583.48changed to$581.60

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 8.65 changed to 8.58
    • Malpractice RVU 0.85 changed to 0.86
    • Work GPCI 1.047 changed to 1.046
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.169 changed to 1.177
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.801 changed to 0.694

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $586.45changed to$583.48

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 8.72 changed to 8.65
    • Malpractice RVU 0.87 changed to 0.85
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.161 changed to 1.169
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.908 changed to 0.801

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $586.24changed to$586.45

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 8.68 changed to 8.72
    • Malpractice RVU 0.85 changed to 0.87

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $583.32changed to$586.24

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $571.86changed to$583.32

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 8.66 changed to 8.68
    • Malpractice RVU 0.64 changed to 0.85
    • Work GPCI 1.042 changed to 1.047
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.158 changed to 1.161
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.775 changed to 0.908

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $582.22changed to$571.86

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 9.77 changed to 8.66
    • Malpractice RVU 0.67 changed to 0.64
    • Work GPCI 1.036 changed to 1.042
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.154 changed to 1.158
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.642 changed to 0.775

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. October 1, 2013

    RVU13D

    No ratechanged to$582.22

  17. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: No rate

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$612.36$406.89RVU26D
2026-07-01$612.36$406.89RVU26C
2026-04-01$612.36$406.89RVU26B
2026-01-01$612.36$406.89RVU26A
2025-10-01$575.94$434.19RVU25D
2025-07-01$575.94$434.19RVU25C
2025-04-01$575.94$434.19RVU25B
2025-01-01$575.94$434.19RVU25A
2024-10-01$589.68$441.03RVU24D
2024-07-01$589.68$441.03RVU24C
2024-04-01$589.68$441.03RVU24B
2024-03-09$589.68$441.03RVU24AR
2024-01-01$580.05$433.83RVU24A
2023-10-01$600.56$446.76RVU23D
2023-07-01$600.56$446.76RVU23C
2023-04-01$600.56$446.76RVU23B
2023-01-01$600.56$446.76RVU23A
2022-10-01$602.07$446.74RVU22D
2022-07-01$602.07$446.74RVU22C
2022-04-01$602.07$446.74RVU22B
2022-01-01$602.07$446.74RVU22A
2021-10-01$603.13$449.80RVU21D
2021-07-01$603.13$449.80RVU21C
2021-04-01$603.13$449.80RVU21B
2021-01-01$603.13$449.80RVU21A
2020-10-01$586.03$453.61RVU20D
2020-07-01$586.03$453.61RVU20C
2020-04-01$586.03$453.61RVU20B
2020-01-01$586.03$453.61RVU20A
2019-10-01$585.38$464.06RVU19D
2019-07-01$585.38$464.06RVU19C
2019-04-01$585.38$464.06RVU19B
2019-01-01$585.38$464.06RVU19A
2018-10-01$581.60$469.31RVU18D
2018-07-01$581.60$469.31RVU18C
2018-04-01$581.60$469.31RVU18B
2018-01-01$581.60$469.31RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$583.48$473.14RVU17D
2017-07-01$583.48$473.14RVU17C
2017-04-01$583.48$473.14RVU17B
2017-01-01$583.48$473.14RVU17A
2016-10-01$586.45$476.70RVU16D
2016-07-01$586.45$476.70RVU16C
2016-04-01$586.45$476.70RVU16B
2016-01-01$586.45$476.70RVU16A
2015-10-01$586.24$475.27RVU15D
2015-07-01$586.24$475.27RVU15C
2015-04-01$583.32$472.90RVU15B
2015-01-01$583.32$472.90RVU15A
2014-10-01$571.86$463.59RVU14D
2014-07-01$571.86$463.59RVU14C
2014-04-01$571.86$463.59RVU14B
2014-01-01$571.86$463.59RVU14A
2013-10-01$582.22$460.12RVU13D
2013-07-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13C
2013-04-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13B
2013-01-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13AR

Price 41018 for an earlier date of service

Where the Los Angeles, CA rate applies

Los Angeles, CA is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 189 cities and communities in California. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Anaheim
  • Long Beach
  • Los Angeles
  • Orange
  • Acton
  • Agoura Hills
  • Agua Dulce
  • Alhambra

Browse all communities in California

41018 billing questions

How is this distinguished from drainage of a masticator-space abscess?

Use this code for drainage of a parapharyngeal-space collection by an external approach. A collection in the masticator space belongs to the code for that space, even when the infection is also described as a deep neck infection.

Does an intraoral drainage approach qualify?

This code describes external drainage. Confirm the documented operative approach and the infected space rather than selecting the code from the diagnosis alone.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

The operative report should identify the parapharyngeal space, describe the external approach, and document that the collection was surgically drained.

Is the related postoperative care separately reported during the global period?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. The code’s global period does not make unrelated services part of that package.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.

How is payment adjusted when another procedure is performed in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedure or procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.

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
RVUs for 41018PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,893 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for Los Angeles, CAGPCI2026.csv, line 13 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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