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Billing code 21044: Jaw tumor excisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Removal of a malignant tumor of the mandible through an intraoral approach, typically performed by an oral and maxillofacial or head and neck surgeon.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities366 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $764.88 for 21044 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 21044

Jaw tumor excision

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
12.48
Total RVUs
22.90
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$764.88

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 21044 → · 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 21044 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 21044 covers

This service covers surgical removal of a malignant tumor arising in the mandible through an incision inside the mouth. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons and head and neck surgeons may perform it in an operating room. The operative report should identify the mandibular site, describe the tumor removal, and document the intraoral route; pathology findings can support the diagnosis. The code distinguishes this procedure from removal of a benign mandibular lesion and from malignant tumor surgery performed through an external approach.

Report the service for the malignant mandibular tumor excision itself, selecting the code based on the documented diagnosis, bone site, and surgical approach. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require 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 21044 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

21044 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$702.28
Alaska*Unavailable$964.16
ArizonaUnavailable$747.11
ArkansasUnavailable$694.55
AtlantaUnavailable$783.13
AustinUnavailable$775.27
BakersfieldUnavailable$776.12
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$807.09
BeaumontUnavailable$734.73
BrazoriaUnavailable$752.04

21044 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
21044 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 21044 rate is calculated

Each of 21044’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 · 21044

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 12.48Practice expense 8.57Malpractice 1.85

22.9000 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$764.88

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 21044

21044 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 21044

Jaw tumor excision

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)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 21044

Jaw tumor excision

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

21044 without 51 · national facility

$764.88

Jaw tumor excision

21044-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$382.44

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

21044 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

21044 vs 21045 vs 21040 vs 21034: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 21044
    Jaw tumor excision · 12.48 wRVU
    —
  • 21045
    Mandible tumor resection · 17.91 wRVU
    —
  • 21040
    Mandibular lesion excision · 4.79 wRVU
    $479.97
  • 21034
    Tumor excision · 16.95 wRVU
    $1,305.64

How to choose

21045Mandible tumor resection
Both describe removal of a malignant mandibular tumor; choose 21044 for an intraoral route and 21045 for an extraoral route.
21040Mandibular lesion excision
21040 applies to a benign mandibular tumor or cyst. Code 21044 applies when the mandibular tumor is malignant.
21034Tumor excision
21034 addresses malignant tumor excision of the maxilla or zygoma. Code 21044 is for a malignant tumor of the mandible.

Codes related to 21044

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

Codes related to 21044
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
21045Mandible tumor resectionMalignant mandibular tumor removal using an extraoral rather than intraoral approach.No office rate
21040Mandibular lesion excisionFor a benign mandibular tumor or cyst rather than a malignant tumor.$428.07–$621.15
21034Tumor excisionMalignant tumor excision involving the maxilla or zygoma rather than the mandible.$1,172.65–$1,619.12
21025Bone excisionMandibular bone excision when the service is not the malignant tumor procedure described by 21044.$752.60–$1,063.23

21044 billing questions

When should 21044 be chosen instead of 21045?

Use 21044 when the malignant mandibular tumor is removed through an intraoral approach. Code 21045 describes the corresponding procedure using an extraoral approach.

How does 21044 differ from 21040?

21044 is for removal of a malignant mandibular tumor. Code 21040 concerns a benign tumor or cyst of the mandible.

Is modifier 50 appropriate for bilateral mandibular tumors?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Report the performed service according to the applicable coding instructions rather than appending modifier 50.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided; team surgery is 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
RVUs for 21044PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,851 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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