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Billing code 22903: Tumor excisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Report this service for excision of a subcutaneous soft-tissue tumor of the abdominal wall when the tumor measures 3 cm or larger.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities2.2K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $428.87 for 22903 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 22903

Tumor excision

Work RVUs
6.23
Total RVUs
12.84
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$428.87

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 22903 →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 22903 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 22903 covers

This code describes surgical removal of a soft-tissue tumor located in the subcutaneous layer of the abdominal wall, with a tumor size of at least 3 cm. General surgeons and other surgeons who treat abdominal wall masses may perform the procedure in a hospital or ambulatory surgical setting. The operative work is directed at the tumor in the subcutaneous tissue, rather than a deeper abdominal wall mass or a radical tumor resection.

Choose the code based on the documented tissue layer and tumor size: 3 cm or larger qualifies here; a smaller subcutaneous tumor falls under 22902. The operative report should identify the abdominal wall site, subcutaneous location, tumor dimensions, and extent of removal. Medicare 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 is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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 22903 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

22903 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$385.17
Alaska*Unavailable$520.48
ArizonaUnavailable$416.14
ArkansasUnavailable$379.81
AtlantaUnavailable$442.66
AustinUnavailable$433.13
BakersfieldUnavailable$428.64
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$456.86
BeaumontUnavailable$409.99
BrazoriaUnavailable$417.55

22903 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
22903 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 22903 rate is calculated

Each of 22903’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 · 22903

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work6.23

6.23 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense5.05

5.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.56

1.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

12.8400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$428.87

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 22903

22903 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 22903

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 · 22903

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned 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

22903 without 51 · national facility

$428.87

Tumor excision

22903-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$214.44

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

22903 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 22903

    Tumor excision6.23 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 22902

    Abdominal wall excision4.31 wRVU

    $517.38

  • 22900

    Tumor excision8.11 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 22901

    Tumor excision9.86 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 22904

    Abdominal tumor resection16.27 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

22902Abdominal wall excision
Both describe excision of a subcutaneous abdominal wall tumor; 22902 applies below 3 cm, while 22903 applies at 3 cm or larger.
22900Tumor excision
22900 is for a deep abdominal wall tumor smaller than 5 cm. Use 22903 for a subcutaneous tumor measuring 3 cm or larger.
22901Tumor excision
22901 describes excision of a deep abdominal wall tumor measuring 5 cm or larger; 22903 is for a subcutaneous tumor.
22904Abdominal tumor resection
22904 describes radical resection of an abdominal tumor smaller than 5 cm, rather than the subcutaneous tumor excision reported with 22903.

Codes related to 22903

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

Codes related to 22903
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
22902Abdominal wall excisionSame subcutaneous abdominal wall tumor excision service for tumors smaller than 3 cm.$452.43–$665.89
Used instead
22900Tumor excisionFor excision of a deep abdominal wall tumor smaller than 5 cm.No office rate
22901Tumor excisionFor excision of a deep abdominal wall tumor measuring 5 cm or larger.No office rate
22904Abdominal tumor resectionFor radical resection of an abdominal tumor smaller than 5 cm.No office rate
22905Tumor resectionFor radical resection of an abdominal tumor measuring 5 cm or larger.No office rate
22999Unlisted px abdomen muscskelUnlisted abdominal musculoskeletal procedure when no listed code describes the service.No office rate

22903 billing questions

When should I report 22903 instead of 22902?

Use 22903 for a subcutaneous abdominal wall soft-tissue tumor measuring 3 cm or larger. Use 22902 when the subcutaneous tumor measures less than 3 cm.

How does a deep abdominal wall tumor change code selection?

These codes describe subcutaneous tumors. A tumor documented in deeper abdominal wall tissue is considered under 22900 or 22901, selected by the applicable size threshold.

Is modifier 50 appropriate for tumors on both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so do not use modifier 50 to report bilateral treatment.

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 or co-surgeon be paid?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

How is this code affected when other procedures are performed in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the same session are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction.

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 22903PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,144 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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