Billing code 17283: Lesion destructionMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $237.48 for 17283 nationally in the office and $140.95 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $213.46–$305.83.

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

What 17283 covers

This service destroys a malignant skin lesion on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membranes, with the lesion measuring 2.1–3.0 cm. A dermatologist or other qualified clinician may use an appropriate destructive method, such as cryosurgery, electrosurgery, or laser treatment, in an office or facility setting. The code is for malignant lesions, not benign growths or precancerous lesions treated with destruction.

Select the code using both the anatomic group and the documented lesion size; codes for other body sites have separate size series. The record should support the malignant diagnosis, treated site, lesion measurement, and destructive service performed. Medicare assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, 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 17283 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

17283 rates by state

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

How the 17283 rate is calculated

Each of 17283’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 17283

17283 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

17283 compared with similar codes

How to choose

17282Lesion destruction

Use 17282 for a malignant lesion in the same anatomic group measuring 1.1–2.0 cm. This code applies when the lesion measures 2.1–3.0 cm.

17284Malignant lesion destruction

Use 17284 for a lesion in the same anatomic group measuring 3.1–4.0 cm; this code ends at 3.0 cm.

17263Malignant lesion destruction

This code is selected for the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membranes. Code 17263 is for a 2.1–3.0 cm malignant lesion on the trunk, arms, or legs.

17273Lesion destruction

This code covers the face and related sites. Code 17273 covers the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia for a lesion in the corresponding size range.

Codes related to 17283

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