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Billing code 23120: Clavicle resectionMedicare rate & RVUs

Report partial claviculectomy when a surgeon removes part of the clavicle, commonly the distal end for persistent acromioclavicular joint symptoms.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities5.9K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $564.81 for 23120 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 23120

Clavicle resection

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
7.21
Total RVUs
16.91
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$564.81

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 23120 → · 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 23120 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 23120 covers

An orthopedic surgeon typically removes a portion of the clavicle during an operative procedure. A common setting is open distal clavicle excision for symptomatic acromioclavicular joint arthritis, sometimes called a Mumford procedure. The operative report should make clear which portion of the clavicle was removed and the clinical reason for the resection.

Select this code for partial clavicle removal, rather than complete clavicle removal or a procedure focused on another bone or a specific lesion. Document the side, operative findings, extent of bone removal, and procedure performed. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 23120 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

23120 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$509.04
Alaska*Unavailable$680.87
ArizonaUnavailable$549.18
ArkansasUnavailable$502.12
AtlantaUnavailable$579.86
AustinUnavailable$575.58
BakersfieldUnavailable$576.41
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$600.42
BeaumontUnavailable$536.59
BrazoriaUnavailable$553.39

23120 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
23120 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 23120 rate is calculated

Each of 23120’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 · 23120

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 7.21Practice expense 8.22Malpractice 1.48

16.9100 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$564.81

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 23120

23120 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 23120

Clavicle resection

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
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 · 23120

Clavicle resection

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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

23120 without 50 · national facility

$564.81

Clavicle resection

23120-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$847.21

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

23120 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

23120 vs 23125 vs 23180 vs 23170 vs 23130: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 23120
    Clavicle resection · 7.21 wRVU
    —
  • 23125
    Claviculectomy · 9.4 wRVU
    —
  • 23180
    Clavicle excision · 8.77 wRVU
    —
  • 23170
    Sequestrectomy · 7.03 wRVU
    —
  • 23130
    Acromioplasty · 7.58 wRVU
    —

How to choose

23125Claviculectomy
23125 represents complete clavicle removal. Use 23120 when only part of the clavicle is resected.
23180Clavicle excision
23180 describes specified partial bone-excision techniques, including craterization or saucerization. 23120 is the partial claviculectomy code for resection such as distal clavicle excision.
23170Sequestrectomy
23170 is for clavicular sequestrum removal. Use 23120 for partial clavicle resection when the procedure is not specifically a sequestrectomy.
23130Acromioplasty
23130 addresses partial acromion removal or acromioplasty; 23120 removes part of the clavicle.

Codes related to 23120

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

Codes related to 23120
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
23125ClaviculectomyComplete clavicle removal; distinguishes total from partial resection.No office rate
Used instead
23180Clavicle excisionUsed for specified partial bone excision techniques, such as clavicular saucerization or craterization.No office rate
23170SequestrectomyUsed when the clavicle procedure specifically removes a sequestrum.No office rate

23120 billing questions

When is partial claviculectomy used instead of complete claviculectomy?

Use this code when the surgeon removes only part of the clavicle. Complete removal is reported with 23125.

Is distal clavicle excision for acromioclavicular joint arthritis a typical example?

Yes. Partial removal of the distal clavicle for symptomatic acromioclavicular joint disease is a common example.

How should bilateral partial claviculectomy be reported?

CMS specifies modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure, paid at 150%. The operative documentation should support treatment of both sides.

What happens when other procedures are performed in the same session?

Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

What documentation supports this code?

The operative report should identify the side, the reason for surgery, and the portion and extent of clavicle removed.

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 23120PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,168 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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