Billing code 15572: Skin flapMedicare rate & RVUs
Reports formation of a skin pedicle flap for coverage of an arm or leg defect, whether or not the flap is transferred during the session.
Medicare pays $934.56 for 15572 nationally in the office and $670.02 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $829.05–$1,184.92.
Medicare rate · 15572
Skin flap
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
- Work RVUs
- 9.87
- Total RVUs
- 27.98
- Global days
- 090
National rate · 2026
$934.56
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 15572 → · 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 15572 covers
A surgeon raises a skin flap while maintaining its vascular attachment, creating a direct or tubed pedicle for reconstruction of an arm or leg defect. The service may be used for soft-tissue coverage after limb trauma, excision, or tissue loss. Plastic and reconstructive surgeons commonly perform these procedures; hand or orthopedic surgeons may perform them when reconstructing limb defects.
Select this code when the flap service is for an arm or leg, and document the defect, flap design, donor and recipient sites, and whether transfer occurred. The CMS global period is 90 days: the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care through day 90 are included. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Medicare assistant-at-surgery payment is barred by statutory restriction; 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 15572 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
$829.05 to $1184.92
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $840.78 | $609.31 |
| Alaska* | $1,108.49 | $826.76 |
| Arizona | $909.16 | $652.83 |
| Arkansas | $829.05 | $601.81 |
| Atlanta | $956.10 | $687.33 |
| Austin | $960.19 | $680.31 |
| Bakersfield | $970.26 | $680.33 |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $993.63 | $709.78 |
| Beaumont | $881.23 | $640.51 |
| Brazoria | $919.35 | $657.19 |
| Chicago | $1,015.72 | $749.86 |
| Chico | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| Colorado | $960.59 | $679.12 |
| Connecticut | $995.55 | $710.64 |
| Dallas | $926.99 | $663.52 |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $1,056.21 | $744.59 |
| Delaware | $923.71 | $662.35 |
| Detroit | $955.77 | $700.49 |
| East St. Louis | $950.48 | $707.11 |
| El Centro | $965.60 | $675.67 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $989.16 | $721.18 |
| Fort Worth | $922.30 | $661.46 |
| Fresno | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| Galveston | $923.26 | $660.58 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| Hawaii, Guam | $984.62 | $683.85 |
| Houston | $955.48 | $692.79 |
| Idaho | $859.89 | $616.52 |
| Indiana | $864.48 | $619.25 |
| Iowa | $852.69 | $610.64 |
| Kansas | $852.97 | $613.83 |
| Kentucky | $868.94 | $633.77 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $1,028.26 | $715.31 |
| Madera | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| Manhattan | $1,078.57 | $771.18 |
| Merced | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| Metropolitan Boston | $1,047.55 | $731.70 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $899.89 | $651.49 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $974.23 | $698.85 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $908.46 | $656.62 |
| Miami | $1,046.83 | $771.45 |
| Minnesota | $909.01 | $636.80 |
| Mississippi | $843.31 | $615.54 |
| Modesto | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| Montana** | $934.44 | $669.90 |
| Napa | $1,100.06 | $751.41 |
| Nebraska | $855.94 | $611.78 |
| Nevada** | $925.29 | $660.49 |
| New Hampshire | $949.60 | $674.22 |
| New Mexico | $901.05 | $658.47 |
| New Orleans | $910.33 | $661.40 |
| North Carolina | $876.75 | $629.94 |
| North Dakota** | $899.64 | $635.10 |
| Northern Nj | $1,046.70 | $739.84 |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $1,109.25 | $794.72 |
| Ohio | $887.52 | $646.00 |
| Oklahoma | $863.01 | $626.78 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $1,021.02 | $708.34 |
| Portland | $985.40 | $691.50 |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $1,013.62 | $723.95 |
| Puerto Rico | $939.68 | $672.24 |
| Queens | $1,081.03 | $768.35 |
| Redding | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| Rest Of California | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| Rest Of Florida | $940.10 | $687.20 |
| Rest Of Georgia | $886.86 | $650.90 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $920.14 | $678.62 |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $869.29 | $635.17 |
| Rest Of Maine | $868.65 | $625.28 |
| Rest Of Maryland | $939.59 | $671.88 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $956.84 | $678.29 |
| Rest Of Michigan | $894.63 | $653.11 |
| Rest Of Missouri | $857.67 | $629.64 |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $1,003.69 | $714.82 |
| Rest Of New York | $889.79 | $638.48 |
| Rest Of Oregon | $914.91 | $651.44 |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $886.54 | $643.70 |
| Rest Of Texas | $901.00 | $649.96 |
| Rest Of Washington | $953.74 | $675.18 |
| Rhode Island | $952.49 | $679.23 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $984.28 | $694.35 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $1,008.16 | $700.51 |
| Salinas | $1,004.33 | $697.73 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $1,024.56 | $708.18 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $1,157.98 | $784.98 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $1,155.98 | $782.98 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $1,184.92 | $803.46 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $1,176.75 | $795.29 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $988.79 | $687.49 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $1,031.62 | $710.21 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $1,007.16 | $698.72 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $1,041.68 | $716.83 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $1,064.25 | $739.66 |
| South Carolina | $884.24 | $639.80 |
| South Dakota** | $895.52 | $630.99 |
| Southern Maine | $907.95 | $645.80 |
| Stockton | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| Suburban Chicago | $996.99 | $725.31 |
| Tennessee | $857.64 | $617.18 |
| Utah | $895.79 | $647.13 |
| Vallejo | $1,097.18 | $748.53 |
| Vermont | $900.06 | $638.17 |
| Virgin Islands | $939.68 | $672.24 |
| Virginia | $907.99 | $647.95 |
| Visalia | $965.31 | $675.38 |
| West Virginia | $888.35 | $658.47 |
| Wisconsin | $870.94 | $617.52 |
| Wyoming** | $919.27 | $654.74 |
| Yuba City | $965.31 | $675.38 |
15572 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.
$829.05
$1,108.49
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 | $1,108.49 | 1 |
| AL | $840.78 | 1 |
| AR | $829.05 | 1 |
| AZ | $909.16 | 1 |
| CA | $965.31–$1,184.92 | 29 |
| CO | $960.59 | 1 |
| CT | $995.55 | 1 |
| DC | $1,056.21 | 1 |
| DE | $923.71 | 1 |
| FL | $940.10–$1,046.83 | 3 |
| GA | $886.86–$956.10 | 2 |
| GU | $984.62 | 1 |
| HI | $984.62 | 1 |
| IA | $852.69 | 1 |
| ID | $859.89 | 1 |
| IL | $920.14–$1,015.72 | 4 |
| IN | $864.48 | 1 |
| KS | $852.97 | 1 |
| KY | $868.94 | 1 |
| LA | $869.29–$910.33 | 2 |
| MA | $956.84–$1,047.55 | 2 |
| MD | $939.59–$1,056.21 | 3 |
| ME | $868.65–$907.95 | 2 |
| MI | $894.63–$955.77 | 2 |
| MN | $909.01 | 1 |
| MO | $857.67–$908.46 | 3 |
| MS | $843.31 | 1 |
| MT | $934.44 | 1 |
| NC | $876.75 | 1 |
| ND | $899.64 | 1 |
| NE | $855.94 | 1 |
| NH | $949.60 | 1 |
| NJ | $1,003.69–$1,046.70 | 2 |
| NM | $901.05 | 1 |
| NV | $925.29 | 1 |
| NY | $889.79–$1,109.25 | 5 |
| OH | $887.52 | 1 |
| OK | $863.01 | 1 |
| OR | $914.91–$985.40 | 2 |
| PA | $886.54–$974.23 | 2 |
| PR | $939.68 | 1 |
| RI | $952.49 | 1 |
| SC | $884.24 | 1 |
| SD | $895.52 | 1 |
| TN | $857.64 | 1 |
| TX | $881.23–$960.19 | 8 |
| UT | $895.79 | 1 |
| VA | $907.99–$1,056.21 | 2 |
| VI | $939.68 | 1 |
| VT | $900.06 | 1 |
| WA | $953.74–$1,064.25 | 2 |
| WI | $870.94 | 1 |
| WV | $888.35 | 1 |
| WY | $919.27 | 1 |
How the 15572 rate is calculated
Each of 15572’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 · 15572
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 9.87Practice expense 16.35Malpractice 1.76
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15572
15572 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15572
Skin flap
| 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 · 15572
Skin flap
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
15572 without 51 · national office
$934.56
Skin flap
15572-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$467.28
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%).
15572 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
15572 vs 15570 vs 15574 vs 15576: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 15570Skin flap
- Use 15570 for a pedicle flap involving the trunk; use 15572 for an arm or leg.
- 15574Pedicle flap
- Use 15574 for its specified non-limb regions, such as the forehead, cheek, chin, mouth, neck, axilla, genitalia, hand, or foot.
- 15576Pedicle flap
- Use 15576 for eyelid, nose, ear, lip, or intraoral sites rather than an arm or leg.
15572 billing questions
How do I distinguish this code from 15570 or 15574?
Choose by the anatomical region involved: this code is for an arm or leg, while 15570 is for the trunk and 15574 covers other specified regions.
Can this code be reported when the flap is formed but not transferred?
Yes. The service includes flap formation whether or not transfer takes place during that session.
What should the operative report document?
Document the limb defect, flap design and vascular attachment, donor and recipient sites, and whether the flap was transferred.
How does the 90-day global period affect related care?
The day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care through day 90 are included in the global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed for this procedure?
Medicare assistant-at-surgery payment is barred by statutory restriction. Co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are 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
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