CPT code 60220: Thyroid lobectomy, complete single-lobe removal2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports complete removal of one thyroid lobe, with or without the isthmus, while the operation leaves the opposite lobe in place.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 60220 in Washington.
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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On this page 9 sections
What 60220 covers
This operation removes an entire thyroid lobe and may include the isthmus, the bridge of tissue between the lobes. The opposite lobe remains. Surgeons perform it for conditions such as a unilateral thyroid nodule requiring surgical treatment or disease confined to one lobe. It is generally performed in an operating room by an endocrine, general, or head and neck surgeon.
Report 60220 when the operative record supports removal of the whole lobe, rather than only part of it; removal of the isthmus may be included. The note should identify the side and extent of resection. 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 60220 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| King County, WA | Unavailable | $691.97 |
| Rest of Washington | Unavailable | $638.88 |
How the 60220 rate is calculated
Each of 60220’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 · 60220
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work10.91
10.91 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.13
6.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.13
2.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
19.1700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$640.30
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 60220
60220 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 60220
Thyroid lobectomy, complete single-lobe removal
| 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) | 0.09/0.82/0.09 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 60220
Thyroid lobectomy, complete single-lobe removal
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
60220 without 51 · national facility
$640.30
Thyroid lobectomy, complete single-lobe removal
60220-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$320.15
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%).
60220 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 60210Thyroid surgeryPartial gland removal
- Use 60220 when the whole lobe is removed. Use 60210 for partial removal of a lobe.
- 60225Thyroid surgeryTotal one side, subtotal opposite
- 60225 includes total removal of one lobe and subtotal removal of the opposite lobe; 60220 describes removal of one lobe alone.
- 60240ThyroidectomyTotal gland removal
- 60240 describes removal of the whole thyroid. 60220 removes one lobe and leaves the opposite lobe in place.
- 60200Thyroid surgeryFocal lesion or isthmus
- 60200 is for a thyroid lesion or cyst excision, not removal of an entire thyroid lobe.
60220 billing questions
How does 60220 differ from 60210?
60220 is for removal of the entire thyroid lobe. Use 60210 when the surgeon removes only part of the lobe.
Is removal of the isthmus included?
Yes. Removal of the isthmus may be part of the unilateral lobectomy reported with 60220; it does not by itself make the procedure a total thyroidectomy.
Can modifier 50 be used when both sides are treated?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. When the operation removes both lobes, select the code that describes the actual extent of thyroid removal instead.
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 surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
What happens if another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction.
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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