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Billing code 15770: Composite tissue graftMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports placement of a dermis-fat-fascia tissue graft to restore or reinforce a soft-tissue area when a composite graft is selected.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.8K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $606.23 for 15770 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 15770

Composite tissue graft

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
8.74
Total RVUs
18.15
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$606.23

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 15770 → · 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
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 15770 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 15770 covers

This procedure uses a composite graft containing dermis, subcutaneous fat, and fascia to restore volume or reinforce deficient soft tissue. Plastic and reconstructive surgeons may use it when a defect or contour problem calls for this combination of tissues rather than a skin-only graft, a fat-only graft, or a flap. The operative record should identify the graft tissue, the recipient area, and the reconstructive purpose.

Report the code for the derma-fat-fascia graft service, with documentation supporting why this graft type was selected and describing the operative work. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be allowed; 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 15770 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

15770 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$552.39
Alaska*Unavailable$748.41
ArizonaUnavailable$591.16
ArkansasUnavailable$545.71
AtlantaUnavailable$620.84
AustinUnavailable$616.94
BakersfieldUnavailable$619.01
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$641.56
BeaumontUnavailable$578.83
BrazoriaUnavailable$595.80

15770 rates by state

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

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
15770 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 15770 rate is calculated

Each of 15770’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 · 15770

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 8.74Practice expense 8.00Malpractice 1.41

18.1500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$606.23

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 15770

15770 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 15770

Composite tissue graft

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.71/0.19Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 15770

Composite tissue 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.

  • 24 Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79 Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58 Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78 Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

15770 without 51 · national facility

$606.23

Composite tissue graft

15770-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$303.12

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%).

When to use modifier 51

15770 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

15770 vs 15769 vs 15771 vs 15760: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 15770
    Composite tissue graft · 8.74 wRVU
    —
  • 15769
    Soft-tissue graft · 6.51 wRVU
    —
  • 15771
    Fat grafting · 6.56 wRVU
    $662.67
  • 15760
    Composite graft · 9.61 wRVU
    $857.40

How to choose

15769Soft-tissue graft
15769 describes another autologous soft-tissue grafting approach involving direct excision. Choose 15770 when the graft is specifically a dermis-fat-fascia composite.
15771Fat grafting
15771 is for autologous fat grafting harvested by liposuction. It is not the code for a graft combining dermis, fat, and fascia.
15760Composite graft
15760 applies to composite skin grafting. Choose 15770 when the graft is the dermis-fat-fascia tissue combination.

Codes related to 15770

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

Codes related to 15770
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
15769Soft-tissue graftA different autologous soft-tissue grafting approach involving direct excision.No office rate
15771Fat graftingLiposuction-harvested autologous fat grafting, rather than a dermis-fat-fascia composite graft.$586.00–$845.61
15760Composite graftA composite skin graft is used when the graft need is skin coverage rather than this tissue combination.$766.48–$1,089.56
15777Biologic implantUses an acellular dermal matrix implant instead of an autologous dermis-fat-fascia graft.$201.59–$278.91

15770 billing questions

How does this differ from 15769?

Use 15770 for a graft of dermis, fat, and fascia. Code 15769 describes a different autologous soft-tissue grafting approach involving direct excision.

How does this differ from 15771?

Code 15771 is for autologous fat grafting using liposuction harvest. Code 15770 is selected for the composite dermis-fat-fascia graft.

Can modifier 50 be reported?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code based on its descriptor or anatomy.

What does the 90-day global period include?

It includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

What documentation supports reporting this graft?

Document the composite tissue used, the recipient area, the reconstructive purpose, and the operative work. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation.

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
RVUs for 15770PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,542 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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