CPT code 60254: Thyroidectomy, malignancy with radical neck dissection2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in New York
Reports complete thyroid removal for malignancy together with radical neck dissection, when both components are performed during the same operative service.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 60254 in New York.
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 60254 covers
This service combines complete removal of the thyroid gland for malignancy with a radical neck dissection. It is typically performed by an otolaryngologist or head and neck surgeon in a hospital operating room. The operative report should establish the cancer indication, the extent of thyroid removal, and the neck dissection performed; a thyroidectomy without the radical dissection does not match this service.
Select this code when the documented operation includes both components, rather than a total thyroidectomy alone or one accompanied by a limited neck dissection. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted. A bilateral payment adjustment does not apply.
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 60254 pays more and less in New York
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan, NY | Unavailable | $1,709.16 |
| NYC suburbs and Long Island, NY | Unavailable | $1,769.17 |
| Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NY | Unavailable | $1,597.35 |
| Queens, NY | Unavailable | $1,690.05 |
| Rest of New York | Unavailable | $1,408.32 |
How the 60254 rate is calculated
Each of 60254’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 · 60254
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work27.71
27.71 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense11.13
11.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice5.52
5.52 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
44.3600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,481.66
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 60254
60254 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 60254
Thyroidectomy, malignancy with radical neck dissection
| 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 · 60254
Thyroidectomy, malignancy with radical neck dissection
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
60254 without 51 · national facility
$1,481.66
Thyroidectomy, malignancy with radical neck dissection
60254-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$740.83
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%).
60254 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 60252ThyroidectomyMalignancy, limited neck dissection
- Both involve thyroid removal for malignancy, but 60254 includes radical neck dissection; 60252 is for a limited neck dissection.
- 60240ThyroidectomyTotal gland removal
- 60240 describes total or complete thyroid removal without the radical neck dissection included in 60254.
- 60260ThyroidectomyRemaining tissue after prior removal
- 60260 applies to a later operation removing thyroid tissue left after a previous partial thyroidectomy, not the combined initial cancer operation represented by 60254.
60254 billing questions
How does this differ from 60252?
60254 is selected when the malignancy operation includes a radical neck dissection. Code 60252 is for a total thyroidectomy for malignancy with a limited neck dissection.
Can I report the neck dissection separately?
The radical neck dissection is part of the service represented by 60254. Do not separately report the same dissection as an additional procedure.
When is 60240 a better choice?
Use 60240 for total or complete thyroid removal when the operation does not include the malignancy-related radical neck dissection represented by 60254.
What documentation supports 60254?
The operative report should identify malignancy as the indication and describe complete thyroid removal and the radical neck dissection actually performed.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%. The code has a 90-day global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. 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
Fee sheets · Coming soon
Put 60254 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.
Join the waitlist