Billing code 11623: Skin excisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $295.26 for 11623 nationally in the office and $177.69 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $263.54–$380.67.

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

What 11623 covers

This code covers surgical removal of a malignant cutaneous lesion from the scalp, neck, hand, foot, or genital skin when the total excision diameter is 2.1–3 cm. Dermatologists and other clinicians who perform skin surgery commonly report it for an outpatient excision, with the specimen typically submitted for pathologic examination. The measured diameter includes the lesion and the margins taken around it, not only the visible lesion.

Choose the code by the anatomic group and the total diameter planned for excision, and document the site, lesion measurement, margins, and resulting excision size. Simple closure is included; an intermediate or complex repair may be separately reportable when performed and documented. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during those 10 days are included. In a same-session multiple-procedure claim, 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. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are 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 11623 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

11623 rates by state

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

How the 11623 rate is calculated

Each of 11623’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 11623

11623 has a 10-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

11623 compared with similar codes

How to choose

11622Skin lesion excision

Use 11622 for the same anatomic group when the lesion and required margins total 1.1–2 cm; use 11623 when they total 2.1–3 cm.

11624Skin excision

Use 11624 for the same anatomic group when the total excision diameter is 3.1–4 cm, rather than 2.1–3 cm.

11603Lesion excision

The size range is the same, but 11603 is for the trunk or extremities; 11623 is for the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genital skin.

11643Malignant lesion excision

The size range is the same, but 11643 is for the face, ears, eyelids, nose, or lips.

Codes related to 11623

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