CPT code 44900: Abscess drainage, open appendiceal abscess2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Rhode Island

Report open incision and drainage when a surgeon treats a contained abscess arising from appendicitis without describing appendectomy as the procedure performed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality26 Medicare services in 2024

In Rhode Island, Medicare pays $747.25 for 44900 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Not available in this settingOffice (non-facility)
$747.25Hospital or facility

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 44900 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 44900 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Rhode Island
  2. What 44900 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 44900 covers

This code describes an operation to open and drain an abscess associated with the appendix through an open approach. A general surgeon typically performs it in a hospital operating room when appendicitis has led to a localized collection and the operative plan is drainage rather than removal of the appendix. The operative report should identify the appendiceal abscess and document the open drainage performed.

Report the code when the documented operation matches open drainage; do not select it for appendectomy alone. It has a 90-day global period that includes 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 multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for the single appendix. 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 Rhode Island compares for 44900

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 44900 runs from $658.57 in Nebraska to $920.07 in Miami, FL. Rhode Island pays $747.25. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

44900 in Rhode Island vs other payment areas
  1. Rhode Island · this page$747.25
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$765.13+$17.88
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$818.36+$71.11
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$920.07+$172.82
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$889.27+$142.02
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$870.52+$123.27
  7. Alaska · Alaska$914.18+$166.93

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

Every other payment area

44900 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama—$668.30
ArkansasArkansas—$659.12
ArizonaArizona—$721.13
Bakersfield, CACalifornia—$730.52
Chico, CACalifornia—$721.73
El Centro, CACalifornia—$722.28
Fresno, CACalifornia—$721.73
Hanford, CACalifornia—$721.73

44900 rates by state

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

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.

View every state and territory as a table
44900 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

See 44900 in every payment locality

How the 44900 rate is calculated

Each of 44900’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 · 44900

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work12.26

12.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense6.74

6.74 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice3.27

3.27 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

22.2700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$743.84

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

The exact Rhode Island inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

5,453

Code
44900
Physician work
12.26
Practice expense
6.74
Malpractice
3.27

GPCI2026.csv

92

Locality
Rhode Island
Physician work
1.019
Practice expense
1.033
Malpractice
0.892
Facility calculation for 44900 in Rhode Island
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work12.26× 1.01912.4929
Practice expense6.74× 1.0336.9624
Malpractice3.27× 0.8922.9168
Total RVUs22.3722
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Facility rate, Rhode Island$747.25

Facility: (12.26 × 1.019 + 6.74 × 1.033 + 3.27 × 0.892) × $33.4009 = $747.25

Open 44900 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 44900

44900 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 44900

Abscess drainage, open appendiceal abscess

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)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
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 · 44900

Abscess drainage, open appendiceal abscess

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

44900 without 51 · national facility

$743.84

Abscess drainage, open appendiceal abscess

44900-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$371.92

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

How 44900 has changed in Rhode Island

44900 · Office / nonfacility

Rate unavailable

Effective 2026-10-01

A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.

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
Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01Not available in this setting$747.25RVU26D
2026-07-01Not available in this setting$747.25RVU26C
2026-04-01Not available in this setting$747.25RVU26B
2026-01-01Not available in this setting$747.25RVU26A
2025-10-01Not available in this setting$772.50RVU25D
2025-07-01Not available in this setting$772.50RVU25C
2025-04-01Not available in this setting$772.50RVU25B
2025-01-01Not available in this setting$772.50RVU25A
2024-10-01Not available in this setting$790.28RVU24D
2024-07-01Not available in this setting$790.28RVU24C
2024-04-01Not available in this setting$790.28RVU24B
2024-03-09Not available in this setting$790.28RVU24AR
2024-01-01Not available in this setting$777.38RVU24A
2023-10-01Not available in this setting$808.94RVU23D
2023-07-01Not available in this setting$808.94RVU23C
2023-04-01Not available in this setting$808.94RVU23B
2023-01-01Not available in this setting$808.94RVU23A
2022-10-01Not available in this setting$832.80RVU22D
2022-07-01Not available in this setting$832.80RVU22C
2022-04-01Not available in this setting$832.80RVU22B
2022-01-01Not available in this setting$832.80RVU22A
2021-10-01Not available in this setting$831.16RVU21D
2021-07-01Not available in this setting$831.16RVU21C
2021-04-01Not available in this setting$831.16RVU21B
2021-01-01Not available in this setting$831.16RVU21A
2020-10-01Not available in this setting$846.42RVU20D
2020-07-01Not available in this setting$846.42RVU20C
2020-04-01Not available in this setting$846.42RVU20B
2020-01-01Not available in this setting$846.42RVU20A
2019-10-01Not available in this setting$832.25RVU19D
2019-07-01Not available in this setting$832.25RVU19C
2019-04-01Not available in this setting$832.25RVU19B
2019-01-01Not available in this setting$832.25RVU19A
2018-10-01Not available in this setting$832.65RVU18D
2018-07-01Not available in this setting$832.65RVU18C
2018-04-01Not available in this setting$832.65RVU18B
2018-01-01Not available in this setting$832.65RVU18AR1
2017-10-01Not available in this setting$809.34RVU17D
2017-07-01Not available in this setting$809.34RVU17C
2017-04-01Not available in this setting$809.34RVU17B
2017-01-01Not available in this setting$809.34RVU17A
2016-10-01Not available in this setting$799.67RVU16D
2016-07-01Not available in this setting$799.67RVU16C
2016-04-01Not available in this setting$799.67RVU16B
2016-01-01Not available in this setting$799.67RVU16A
2015-10-01Not available in this setting$802.53RVU15D
2015-07-01Not available in this setting$802.53RVU15C
2015-04-01Not available in this setting$798.53RVU15B
2015-01-01Not available in this setting$798.53RVU15A
2014-10-01Not available in this setting$810.05RVU14D
2014-07-01Not available in this setting$810.05RVU14C
2014-04-01Not available in this setting$810.05RVU14B
2014-01-01Not available in this setting$810.05RVU14A
2013-10-01Not available in this settingRate data unavailableRVU13D
2013-07-01Not available in this settingRate data unavailableRVU13C
2013-04-01Not available in this settingRate data unavailableRVU13B
2013-01-01Not available in this settingRate data unavailableRVU13AR

Price 44900 for an earlier date of service

Where the Rhode Island rate applies

Rhode Island is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 36 cities and communities in Rhode Island. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Ashaway
  • Bradford
  • Carolina
  • Central Falls
  • Charlestown
  • Chepachet
  • Clayville
  • Cranston

Browse all communities in Rhode Island

44900 billing questions

How does 44900 differ from 44960?

44900 describes open drainage of an appendiceal abscess. Choose 44960 when the operative service includes appendectomy for a ruptured appendix with abscess or generalized peritonitis.

What documentation supports 44900?

The operative report should identify the appendiceal abscess, state that the surgeon used an open approach, and describe the incision and drainage performed.

Can 44900 be reported with an appendectomy code?

Do not use 44900 as a substitute for the appendectomy code when the appendix is removed. The operative report must support the procedure or procedures actually performed; same-session procedures are subject to the multiple-procedure payment rule.

Can modifier 50 be used for 44900?

No. The operation concerns the single appendix, so modifier 50 is not appropriate.

What postoperative care is included?

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 paid?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

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 44900PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,453 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for Rhode IslandGPCI2026.csv, line 92 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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