Billing code 15115: Epidermal graftMedicare rate & RVUs
Reports the first 100 sq cm of epidermal autograft coverage on the face, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia, or multiple digits.
Medicare pays $862.75 for 15115 nationally in the office and $650.98 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $770.96–$1,064.30.
Medicare rate · 15115
Epidermal graft
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
- Work RVUs
- 11
- Total RVUs
- 25.83
- Global days
- 090
National rate · 2026
$862.75
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 15115 → · Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 10 sections
What 15115 covers
A surgeon places an epidermal graft taken from the patient to cover a wound at a specified site: the face, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia, or multiple digits. Plastic surgeons and burn surgeons may perform this coverage during operative treatment of burns or other wounds, in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting. The special-site grouping distinguishes this code from epidermal grafting on the trunk, arms, or legs.
Report 15115 for the first 100 sq cm treated; for infants and children, the measure is each 1% of body area. Document the recipient site, grafted area, and patient age when the body-area measure is used. Code 15116 reports each additional unit. A 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid, and co-surgeons and team surgery 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 15115 pays more and less
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
109 payment localities
$770.96 to $1064.30
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $781.12 | $595.82 |
| Alaska* | $1,045.86 | $820.33 |
| Arizona | $840.18 | $634.98 |
| Arkansas | $770.96 | $589.05 |
| Atlanta | $883.58 | $668.43 |
| Austin | $881.24 | $657.19 |
| Bakersfield | $886.21 | $654.12 |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $915.25 | $688.03 |
| Beaumont | $819.38 | $626.67 |
| Brazoria | $847.77 | $637.91 |
| Chicago | $950.09 | $737.27 |
| Chico | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| Colorado | $880.80 | $655.49 |
| Connecticut | $916.72 | $688.65 |
| Dallas | $855.27 | $644.35 |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $966.61 | $717.15 |
| Delaware | $852.96 | $643.74 |
| Detroit | $891.41 | $687.06 |
| East St. Louis | $892.91 | $698.09 |
| El Centro | $881.14 | $649.05 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $919.90 | $705.39 |
| Fort Worth | $851.78 | $642.98 |
| Fresno | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| Galveston | $851.69 | $641.41 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| Hawaii, Guam | $895.01 | $654.24 |
| Houston | $886.65 | $676.37 |
| Idaho | $794.60 | $599.78 |
| Indiana | $798.45 | $602.15 |
| Iowa | $787.60 | $593.83 |
| Kansas | $789.67 | $598.24 |
| Kentucky | $809.42 | $621.17 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $935.35 | $684.83 |
| Madera | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| Manhattan | $993.55 | $747.49 |
| Merced | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| Metropolitan Boston | $954.51 | $701.67 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $834.95 | $636.11 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $899.36 | $678.92 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $842.16 | $640.56 |
| Miami | $977.98 | $757.54 |
| Minnesota | $830.35 | $612.44 |
| Mississippi | $786.11 | $603.78 |
| Modesto | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| Montana** | $862.62 | $650.86 |
| Napa | $991.73 | $712.63 |
| Nebraska | $789.84 | $594.38 |
| Nevada** | $852.52 | $640.55 |
| New Hampshire | $872.46 | $652.02 |
| New Mexico | $839.75 | $645.56 |
| New Orleans | $845.96 | $646.69 |
| North Carolina | $810.80 | $613.23 |
| North Dakota** | $824.85 | $613.09 |
| Northern Nj | $959.28 | $713.63 |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $1,022.49 | $770.71 |
| Ohio | $825.71 | $632.37 |
| Oklahoma | $802.34 | $613.24 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $927.52 | $677.22 |
| Portland | $900.19 | $664.93 |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $933.67 | $701.79 |
| Puerto Rico | $866.54 | $652.44 |
| Queens | $993.00 | $742.70 |
| Redding | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| Rest Of California | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| Rest Of Florida | $875.85 | $673.40 |
| Rest Of Georgia | $828.39 | $639.50 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $861.12 | $667.78 |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $810.44 | $623.03 |
| Rest Of Maine | $804.11 | $609.29 |
| Rest Of Maryland | $866.37 | $652.06 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $878.54 | $655.56 |
| Rest Of Michigan | $833.43 | $640.09 |
| Rest Of Missouri | $801.53 | $619.00 |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $923.33 | $692.09 |
| Rest Of New York | $822.22 | $621.05 |
| Rest Of Oregon | $842.07 | $631.16 |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $823.85 | $629.45 |
| Rest Of Texas | $834.55 | $633.59 |
| Rest Of Washington | $875.15 | $652.16 |
| Rhode Island | $877.08 | $658.33 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $901.41 | $669.32 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $916.71 | $670.43 |
| Salinas | $913.15 | $667.72 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $929.13 | $675.86 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $1,040.07 | $741.48 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $1,037.90 | $739.31 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $1,064.30 | $758.94 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $1,055.43 | $750.07 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $899.37 | $658.18 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $933.64 | $676.35 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $915.07 | $668.15 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $942.56 | $682.51 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $967.40 | $707.57 |
| South Carolina | $820.38 | $624.71 |
| South Dakota** | $820.38 | $608.62 |
| Southern Maine | $835.32 | $625.46 |
| Stockton | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| Suburban Chicago | $926.22 | $708.74 |
| Tennessee | $793.94 | $601.45 |
| Utah | $830.35 | $631.29 |
| Vallejo | $988.61 | $709.51 |
| Vermont | $826.91 | $617.27 |
| Virgin Islands | $866.54 | $652.44 |
| Virginia | $836.65 | $628.49 |
| Visalia | $880.82 | $648.73 |
| West Virginia | $833.71 | $649.69 |
| Wisconsin | $800.47 | $597.61 |
| Wyoming** | $846.16 | $634.40 |
| Yuba City | $880.82 | $648.73 |
15115 rates by state
Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.
Explore a state
Local rates. Clear comparisons.
Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.
$770.96
$1,045.86
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View every state and territory as a table
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $1,045.86 | 1 |
| AL | $781.12 | 1 |
| AR | $770.96 | 1 |
| AZ | $840.18 | 1 |
| CA | $880.82–$1,064.30 | 29 |
| CO | $880.80 | 1 |
| CT | $916.72 | 1 |
| DC | $966.61 | 1 |
| DE | $852.96 | 1 |
| FL | $875.85–$977.98 | 3 |
| GA | $828.39–$883.58 | 2 |
| GU | $895.01 | 1 |
| HI | $895.01 | 1 |
| IA | $787.60 | 1 |
| ID | $794.60 | 1 |
| IL | $861.12–$950.09 | 4 |
| IN | $798.45 | 1 |
| KS | $789.67 | 1 |
| KY | $809.42 | 1 |
| LA | $810.44–$845.96 | 2 |
| MA | $878.54–$954.51 | 2 |
| MD | $866.37–$966.61 | 3 |
| ME | $804.11–$835.32 | 2 |
| MI | $833.43–$891.41 | 2 |
| MN | $830.35 | 1 |
| MO | $801.53–$842.16 | 3 |
| MS | $786.11 | 1 |
| MT | $862.62 | 1 |
| NC | $810.80 | 1 |
| ND | $824.85 | 1 |
| NE | $789.84 | 1 |
| NH | $872.46 | 1 |
| NJ | $923.33–$959.28 | 2 |
| NM | $839.75 | 1 |
| NV | $852.52 | 1 |
| NY | $822.22–$1,022.49 | 5 |
| OH | $825.71 | 1 |
| OK | $802.34 | 1 |
| OR | $842.07–$900.19 | 2 |
| PA | $823.85–$899.36 | 2 |
| PR | $866.54 | 1 |
| RI | $877.08 | 1 |
| SC | $820.38 | 1 |
| SD | $820.38 | 1 |
| TN | $793.94 | 1 |
| TX | $819.38–$886.65 | 8 |
| UT | $830.35 | 1 |
| VA | $836.65–$966.61 | 2 |
| VI | $866.54 | 1 |
| VT | $826.91 | 1 |
| WA | $875.15–$967.40 | 2 |
| WI | $800.47 | 1 |
| WV | $833.71 | 1 |
| WY | $846.16 | 1 |
How the 15115 rate is calculated
Each of 15115’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 · 15115
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 11.00Practice expense 12.92Malpractice 1.91
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15115
15115 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15115
Epidermal graft
| 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) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.71/0.19 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 15115
Epidermal graft
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
15115 without 51 · national office
$862.75
Epidermal graft
15115-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$431.38
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%).
15115 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
15115 vs 15110 vs 15116 vs 15120 vs 15135: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 15110Epidermal graft
- Both describe epidermal autografting, but 15110 is for the trunk, arms, or legs. Use 15115 for the face, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia, or multiple digits.
- 15116Epidermal graft
- 15115 covers the initial area; 15116 is the add-on code for each additional area unit.
- 15120Skin graft
- Both are for the same special-site group, but 15120 describes a split-thickness autograft rather than an epidermal autograft.
- 15135Dermal autograft
- 15135 is for a dermal autograft at the special sites. Choose 15115 when the graft is epidermal.
15115 billing questions
When should 15115 be chosen instead of 15110?
Use 15115 for epidermal autograft coverage on the face, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia, or multiple digits. Code 15110 is for the trunk, arms, or legs.
How are additional grafted areas reported?
15115 represents the first 100 sq cm, or each 1% of body area for an infant or child. Report 15116 for each additional unit.
How does 15115 differ from 15120?
Both cover the special-site group, but 15115 is for an epidermal autograft and 15120 is for a split-thickness autograft.
What documentation supports the area reported?
Record the recipient site and the area covered. For an infant or child, document the body-area percentage used to determine the unit count.
Can modifier 50 be used for grafting both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 15115, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care.
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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