FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 21932: Back tumor excisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports excision of a deep soft tissue tumor of the back or flank when the tumor measures less than 5 cm.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $627.27 for 21932 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 21932

Back tumor excision

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
9.57
Total RVUs
18.78
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$627.27

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 21932 → · 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 21932 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 21932 covers

This service removes a soft tissue tumor beneath the superficial fascia in the back or flank, such as an intramuscular mass, with a size under 5 cm. A surgeon typically performs the excision in an operating room or, when appropriate, an office procedure setting. The operative note should identify the back or flank site, describe the tumor’s depth and size, and document the excision performed. A limited tissue sample for diagnosis is a biopsy service rather than this excision.

Select this code for the deep location and size, not simply because a back mass was removed. The service has a 90-day global period, which includes 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 the others at 50%. The descriptor and anatomy make modifier 50 inappropriate. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 21932 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

21932 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$565.59
Alaska*Unavailable$768.46
ArizonaUnavailable$609.24
ArkansasUnavailable$558.04
AtlantaUnavailable$647.05
AustinUnavailable$632.82
BakersfieldUnavailable$626.27
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$667.16
BeaumontUnavailable$601.01
BrazoriaUnavailable$611.20

21932 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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 every state and territory as a table
21932 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 21932 rate is calculated

Each of 21932’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 · 21932

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 9.57Practice expense 6.96Malpractice 2.25

18.7800 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$627.27

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 21932

21932 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 21932

Back 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)0Not permitted.
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 · 21932

Back 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

21932 without 51 · national facility

$627.27

Back tumor excision

21932-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$313.64

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

21932 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

21932 vs 21931 vs 21933 vs 21925 vs 21935: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 21932
    Back tumor excision · 9.57 wRVU
    —
  • 21931
    Back mass excision · 6.71 wRVU
    —
  • 21933
    Back tumor excision · 10.85 wRVU
    —
  • 21925
    Soft-tissue biopsy · 4.51 wRVU
    $543.10
  • 21935
    Tumor resection · 15.33 wRVU
    —

How to choose

21931Back mass excision
This code applies to a deep tumor under 5 cm. Code 21931 is for a subcutaneous back or flank tumor measuring 3 cm or more.
21933Back tumor excision
Both codes describe deep back or flank tumor excision; select 21933 when the tumor measures 5 cm or more.
21925Soft-tissue biopsy
Code 21925 represents biopsy of deep back or flank soft tissue. Choose this code when the tumor is excised rather than sampled.
21935Tumor resection
Code 21935 describes radical resection of a deep back or flank tumor under 5 cm, rather than the excision represented here.

Codes related to 21932

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

Codes related to 21932
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
21933Back tumor excisionDeep back or flank tumor excision when the tumor is 5 cm or larger.No office rate
21930Soft-tissue excisionBack or flank soft tissue tumor excision for a subcutaneous tumor under 3 cm.$474.92–$693.95
21931Back mass excisionBack or flank soft tissue tumor excision for a subcutaneous tumor 3 cm or larger.No office rate
Used instead
21925Soft-tissue biopsyDeep back or flank soft tissue biopsy when sampling, rather than tumor excision, is performed.$475.93–$701.97
21935Tumor resectionRadical resection of a deep back or flank tumor under 5 cm.No office rate
21936Back tumor resectionRadical resection of a deep back or flank tumor 5 cm or larger.No office rate

21932 billing questions

How is this distinguished from a superficial back mass excision?

This code is for a tumor beneath the superficial fascia. A tumor confined to subcutaneous tissue is reported with the applicable superficial back or flank excision code.

When should a back mass be reported as a biopsy instead?

Use a biopsy code when the procedure obtains a tissue sample for diagnosis rather than excising the tumor. The operative note should make clear whether the surgeon sampled the mass or removed it.

How does the 5 cm threshold affect code selection?

This code describes a deep back or flank tumor under 5 cm. A deep tumor measuring 5 cm or more falls in the corresponding larger-size code.

Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral back tumors?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this descriptor and anatomy, so modifier 50 is not appropriate.

What postoperative care is included in the global period?

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

Can an assistant or another surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.

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 21932PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,037 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 21932 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 21932 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →