CPT code 42844: Throat resection, with closure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Vermont

In Vermont, Medicare pays $1,179.80 for 42844 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 42844 nationwide

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

What 42844 covers

An otolaryngologist or head and neck surgeon may use this operation to remove extensive disease involving the tonsil, tonsillar pillars, or retromolar trigone, commonly in cancer surgery. The resection includes closure of the resulting defect. The operative report should identify the structures and extent removed and describe how the defect was closed; the closure distinguishes this service from the corresponding radical resection without closure.

Report this code when the documented extent of resection and closure support this level rather than a limited pharyngeal lesion excision or a more extensive flap-closure service. It 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% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. 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.

How Vermont compares for 42844

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 42844 runs from $1,106.94 in Arkansas to $1,515.47 in Alaska. Vermont pays $1,179.80. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

42844 rates by state

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

See 42844 in every payment locality

How the 42844 rate is calculated

Each of 42844’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 42844

42844 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

Codes related to 42844

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

How 42844 has changed in Vermont

Price 42844 for an earlier date of service

Where the Vermont rate applies

Vermont is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 180 cities and communities in Vermont. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Albany
• Alburgh
• Algiers
• Arlington
• Ascutney
• Bakersfield
• Barnet
• Barre

Browse all communities in Vermont

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