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CPT 23150: Bone lesion removalMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports curettage or excision of a bone cyst or benign tumor in the proximal humerus when the surgeon does not use a graft.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities106 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $632.61 for 23150 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 23150

Bone lesion removal

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
8.69
Total RVUs
18.94
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$632.61

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 23150 →

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 23150 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 23150 covers

An orthopedic surgeon typically uses this service to remove or curette a bone cyst or benign tumor in the proximal humerus, the upper portion of the arm bone near the shoulder. The work is performed in an operating room and may be part of treatment for a symptomatic or structurally concerning lesion. The code represents removal without bone grafting; graft use changes the applicable code within this family.

The operative report should identify the lesion and its proximal humerus location, describe the removal or curettage, and establish that no graft was used. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, CMS pays 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 23150 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

23150 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$570.72
Alaska*Unavailable$768.23
ArizonaUnavailable$615.02
ArkansasUnavailable$563.08
AtlantaUnavailable$650.39
AustinUnavailable$642.42
BakersfieldUnavailable$640.90
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$672.38
BeaumontUnavailable$602.97
BrazoriaUnavailable$618.82

23150 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
23150 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 23150 rate is calculated

Each of 23150’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 · 23150

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 8.69Practice expense 8.40Malpractice 1.85

18.9400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$632.61

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 23150

23150 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 23150

Bone lesion removal

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 · 23150

Bone lesion removal

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

23150 without 50 · national facility

$632.61

Bone lesion removal

23150-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$948.92

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

23150 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

23150 vs 23155 vs 23156 vs 23184 vs 23140: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 23150
    Bone lesion removal · 8.69 wRVU
    —
  • 23155
    Bone lesion excision · 10.59 wRVU
    —
  • 23156
    Bone lesion surgery · 8.88 wRVU
    —
  • 23184
    Bone excision · 9.65 wRVU
    —
  • 23140
    Bone lesion removal · 6.94 wRVU
    —

How to choose

23155Bone lesion excision
Both address a bone cyst or benign tumor in the proximal humerus. Choose 23155 when an autograft is used; 23150 is for removal without a graft.
23156Bone lesion surgery
Both address a bone cyst or benign tumor in the proximal humerus. Choose 23156 when an allograft is used; 23150 is for removal without a graft.
23184Bone excision
23150 is for curettage or excision of a benign lesion in the proximal humerus. 23184 describes partial bone excision there for a different indication.
23140Bone lesion removal
23140 concerns bone cyst or benign tumor removal at a different shoulder-girdle bone site; 23150 is specific to the proximal humerus.

Codes related to 23150

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

Codes related to 23150
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
23155Bone lesion excisionProximal humerus lesion removal in this family when an autograft is used.No office rate
23156Bone lesion surgeryProximal humerus lesion removal in this family when an allograft is used.No office rate
Used instead
23140Bone lesion removalBone cyst or benign tumor removal for a different shoulder-girdle bone site.No office rate
23184Bone excisionPartial excision of proximal humerus bone for a different indication than benign lesion removal.No office rate

23150 billing questions

When should 23150 be selected instead of 23155 or 23156?

Use 23150 for removal or curettage of a proximal humerus bone cyst or benign tumor without a graft. The graft type determines which sibling code applies when a graft is used.

What documentation supports reporting 23150?

Document the benign lesion or bone cyst, its location in the proximal humerus, the removal or curettage performed, and that no graft was used.

Does the code include the related postoperative visits?

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

How is bilateral treatment reported?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure. When both sides are treated and modifier 50 is reported, payment is at 150%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

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

How does CMS handle 23150 with another procedure in the same session?

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

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 23150PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,174 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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