CPT code 49060: Abscess drainage, open approach2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Guam
Open operative drainage of an abscess in the retroperitoneal space, selected when the infected collection is behind the peritoneum.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 49060 in Guam.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
Your location
On this page 9 sections
What 49060 covers
A surgeon opens the retroperitoneal space to reach and evacuate an abscess, which may involve areas such as the psoas region or tissue near the kidney. The operation may include irrigation and placement of a drain. General surgeons and other surgeons managing the affected organ or space typically perform it in an operating room when open access is needed to treat the collection.
Report this code when the operative findings and approach support drainage of a retroperitoneal abscess through an open incision. The record should identify the collection’s location and describe the open access and drainage performed. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur 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’s anatomy. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; co-surgeons require 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.
49060 in Hawaii, Guam, HI
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii, Guam, HI | Unavailable | $1,004.94 |
How the 49060 rate is calculated
Each of 49060’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 · 49060
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work18.07
18.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.41
8.41 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice4.24
4.24 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
30.7200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,026.08
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 49060
49060 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 49060
Abscess drainage, open approach
| 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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) | 0.09/0.81/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 49060
Abscess drainage, open 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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
49060 without 51 · national facility
$1,026.08
Abscess drainage, open approach
49060-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$513.04
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%).
49060 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 49062Peritoneal drainageOpen surgical approach
- Both codes concern a retroperitoneal abscess; choose 49060 for open drainage and 49062 for percutaneous drainage.
- 49020Abscess drainageOpen peritoneal approach
- This code is for an abscess in the retroperitoneal space. Code 49020 addresses open drainage of a peritoneal abscess or localized peritonitis.
- 49010Retroperitoneal explorationWith or without biopsy
- Code 49010 describes exploration of the retroperitoneal area, with or without biopsy. Code 49060 is selected when the service is open drainage of a retroperitoneal abscess.
49060 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from 49062?
Both address a retroperitoneal abscess, but 49060 is for open drainage. Code 49062 describes percutaneous drainage.
When is 49020 more appropriate?
Use 49020 for open drainage of a peritoneal abscess or localized peritonitis, rather than a collection in the retroperitoneal space.
Can modifier 50 be appended for bilateral drainage?
No. CMS specifies that bilateral adjustment does not apply because the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
Can an assistant at surgery be paid for this procedure?
Medicare payment for an assistant at surgery is restricted for this code. Co-surgeon payment is considered only with supporting documentation.
What should the operative report document?
Document the abscess location in the retroperitoneal space, the open approach, and the drainage performed. These details distinguish the service from peritoneal abscess drainage and percutaneous treatment.
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
Fee sheets · Coming soon
Put 49060 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.
Join the waitlist