CPT code 60520: Thymectomy, transcervical approach2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $982.99 for 60520 nationally in a facility.

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

What 60520 covers

The surgeon removes part or all of the thymus through an incision in the lower neck, rather than entering the chest through a transthoracic approach. Thoracic and endocrine surgeons may perform the operation in a hospital operating room for conditions such as myasthenia gravis or a thymic mass. The operative report should establish that thymic tissue was removed and document the cervical route.

Select this code when the thymectomy is performed through the transcervical approach; the approach and extent of resection distinguish it from other thymectomy services. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. If 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 inappropriate for this anatomy. 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.

Where 60520 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

60520 rates by state

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

How the 60520 rate is calculated

Each of 60520’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 60520

60520 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

60520 compared with similar codes

How to choose

60521ThymectomySternotomy or transthoracic approach

Choose 60520 for thymectomy through a cervical incision; 60521 describes a different approach to thymus removal.

60522Thymus removalWith radical tumor resection

60522 is for thymectomy with additional operative work specified by that code, rather than a transcervical thymectomy alone.

32673Thoracoscopic thymectomyIncluding mediastinal fat

Use 32673 when thymectomy is performed thoracoscopically; 60520 describes removal through a cervical incision.

60500Parathyroid surgeryCervical approach

60500 reports parathyroid exploration, not thymus removal. It applies when the surgeon separately explores the parathyroid glands.

Codes related to 60520

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

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