$829.05–$1,195.89
Choose 15836 for the upper arm and 15837 for the forearm or hand. The operative site determines which code describes the excision.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
15836 Skin excision Medicare reimbursement rates
Reports surgical removal of redundant skin from the upper arm, commonly during brachioplasty after substantial weight loss or when excess tissue causes functional problems. Compare 15836 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 15836?
The service location and office or facility setting determine which base rate applies. These are the supported base rates for the 109 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 15836 pays more and less
Plastic surgery
About 15836: Excision of excessive upper-arm skin
Reports surgical removal of redundant skin from the upper arm, commonly during brachioplasty after substantial weight loss or when excess tissue causes functional problems.
This service removes excess skin from the upper arm and closes the resulting wound, typically as part of brachioplasty. Plastic surgeons commonly perform it in a hospital or ambulatory surgical setting for patients with substantial upper-arm skin redundancy, including after major weight loss. The site must be the upper arm; removal involving the forearm or hand is described by a different code.
Report the service for the operative work performed, with documentation identifying the upper-arm site, the extent of skin removed, and the clinical reason for surgery. This major surgery code includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery is paid only when medical necessity is documented; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 15836
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery is paid only with documentation of medical necessity.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU10.34 · 47%
- Practice expense (office) RVU9.56 · 44%
- Malpractice RVU1.92 · 9%
94
Medicare services in 2024 · #4924 by national volume
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.
15836 compared with similar codes
Office rate ranges across all CMS payment localities, from the same CMS release.
$849.78–$1,210.83
15839 describes excessive skin excision in another area not specified by a site-specific code. For an upper-arm excision, use 15836.
15830
No office rateExc excessive skin abdomen
15830 describes excess skin excision of the abdomen, not the upper arm. Select the code that matches the treated body site.
See how rates vary across the country
15836 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
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.
View all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
Compare 15836 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Office Unavailable | Facility $661.06 |
| Alaska* | Office Unavailable | Facility $893.45 |
| Arizona | Office Unavailable | Facility $709.67 |
| Arkansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $652.68 |
| Atlanta | Office Unavailable | Facility $747.84 |
| Austin | Office Unavailable | Facility $740.71 |
| Bakersfield | Office Unavailable | Facility $740.95 |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | Office Unavailable | Facility $772.84 |
| Beaumont | Office Unavailable | Facility $695.52 |
| Brazoria | Office Unavailable | Facility $714.59 |
| Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $815.87 |
| Chico | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| Colorado | Office Unavailable | Facility $739.34 |
| Connecticut | Office Unavailable | Facility $773.77 |
| Dallas | Office Unavailable | Facility $721.53 |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $811.54 |
| Delaware | Office Unavailable | Facility $720.23 |
| Detroit | Office Unavailable | Facility $761.62 |
| East St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $768.29 |
| El Centro | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.90 |
| Fort Lauderdale | Office Unavailable | Facility $784.78 |
| Fort Worth | Office Unavailable | Facility $719.17 |
| Fresno | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| Galveston | Office Unavailable | Facility $718.31 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| Hawaii, Guam | Office Unavailable | Facility $745.55 |
| Houston | Office Unavailable | Facility $753.45 |
| Idaho | Office Unavailable | Facility $669.47 |
| Indiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $672.54 |
| Iowa | Office Unavailable | Facility $663.00 |
| Kansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $666.35 |
| Kentucky | Office Unavailable | Facility $687.91 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $779.85 |
| Madera | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| Manhattan | Office Unavailable | Facility $840.22 |
| Merced | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| Metropolitan Boston | Office Unavailable | Facility $797.86 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | Office Unavailable | Facility $707.85 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | Office Unavailable | Facility $760.49 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $713.61 |
| Miami | Office Unavailable | Facility $839.95 |
| Minnesota | Office Unavailable | Facility $692.92 |
| Mississippi | Office Unavailable | Facility $667.69 |
| Modesto | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| Montana** | Office Unavailable | Facility $728.68 |
| Napa | Office Unavailable | Facility $820.56 |
| Nebraska | Office Unavailable | Facility $664.33 |
| Nevada** | Office Unavailable | Facility $718.42 |
| New Hampshire | Office Unavailable | Facility $733.88 |
| New Mexico | Office Unavailable | Facility $715.19 |
| New Orleans | Office Unavailable | Facility $718.69 |
| North Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $684.26 |
| North Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $690.71 |
| Northern Nj | Office Unavailable | Facility $806.02 |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $866.22 |
| Ohio | Office Unavailable | Facility $701.54 |
| Oklahoma | Office Unavailable | Facility $680.34 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office Unavailable | Facility $772.42 |
| Portland | Office Unavailable | Facility $753.36 |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $788.15 |
| Puerto Rico | Office Unavailable | Facility $731.36 |
| Queens | Office Unavailable | Facility $837.37 |
| Redding | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| Rest Of California | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| Rest Of Florida | Office Unavailable | Facility $747.02 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Office Unavailable | Facility $706.63 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Office Unavailable | Facility $737.13 |
| Rest Of Louisiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $689.39 |
| Rest Of Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $679.02 |
| Rest Of Maryland | Office Unavailable | Facility $730.83 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Office Unavailable | Facility $738.24 |
| Rest Of Michigan | Office Unavailable | Facility $709.30 |
| Rest Of Missouri | Office Unavailable | Facility $683.08 |
| Rest Of New Jersey | Office Unavailable | Facility $778.22 |
| Rest Of New York | Office Unavailable | Facility $693.80 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Office Unavailable | Facility $708.48 |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | Office Unavailable | Facility $699.10 |
| Rest Of Texas | Office Unavailable | Facility $706.30 |
| Rest Of Washington | Office Unavailable | Facility $734.89 |
| Rhode Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $738.98 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office Unavailable | Facility $756.25 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office Unavailable | Facility $763.53 |
| Salinas | Office Unavailable | Facility $760.53 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office Unavailable | Facility $772.38 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $857.84 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $855.66 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $878.18 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $869.26 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office Unavailable | Facility $749.31 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office Unavailable | Facility $774.96 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office Unavailable | Facility $761.73 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office Unavailable | Facility $782.22 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $806.82 |
| South Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $694.92 |
| South Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $686.23 |
| Southern Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $702.27 |
| Stockton | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| Suburban Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $789.35 |
| Tennessee | Office Unavailable | Facility $670.06 |
| Utah | Office Unavailable | Facility $703.11 |
| Vallejo | Office Unavailable | Facility $817.41 |
| Vermont | Office Unavailable | Facility $693.93 |
| Virgin Islands | Office Unavailable | Facility $731.36 |
| Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $704.53 |
| Visalia | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
| West Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $714.62 |
| Wisconsin | Office Unavailable | Facility $671.02 |
| Wyoming** | Office Unavailable | Facility $712.13 |
| Yuba City | Office Unavailable | Facility $735.58 |
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15836 billing questions
When should 15836 be selected instead of 15837?
Use 15836 for removal of excessive skin from the upper arm. Use 15837 when the treated site is the forearm or hand.
Does 15836 include the related postoperative visits?
Yes. Its 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral upper-arm surgery reported?
Report bilateral surgery with modifier 50. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant surgeon be paid for 15836?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What happens when 15836 is performed with another procedure in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction, with payment at 50%.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
1,57215833,,Exc excessive skin leg,A,,11.60,10.14,NA,10.14,,2.15,23.89,23.89,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,57315834,,Exc excessive skin hip,A,,11.87,10.24,NA,10.24,,2.19,24.30,24.30,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,57415835,,Exc excessive skin buttock,A,,12.67,10.27,NA,10.27,,2.35,25.29,25.29,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,57515836,,Exc excessive skin arm,A,,10.34,9.56,NA,9.56,,1.92,21.82,21.82,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,57615837,,Exc excsv skin forearm/hand,A,,9.31,17.02,,8.67,,1.73,28.06,19.71,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,57715838,,Exc excsv submental fat pad,A,,8.04,8.44,NA,8.44,,1.48,17.96,17.96,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,57815839,,Exc excessive skn other area,A,,10.24,16.54,,8.25,,1.93,28.71,20.42,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00