FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 23515: Clavicle fracture repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports open surgical treatment of a clavicle fracture, with internal fixation when performed, rather than closed fracture care.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities3.5K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $679.04 for 23515 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 23515

Clavicle fracture repair

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
9.45
Total RVUs
20.33
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$679.04

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 23515 → · 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 23515 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 23515 covers

The surgeon exposes the fractured clavicle, restores alignment, and stabilizes the fracture; fixation may use hardware such as a plate and screws. Orthopedic surgeons commonly perform this procedure in a hospital operating room or ambulatory surgery center when the fracture is managed surgically. The code is for a clavicle fracture, not a sternoclavicular or acromioclavicular joint dislocation.

Choose this code when the operative approach treats the fracture directly, rather than when care is closed. The operative report should identify the clavicle fracture, describe the open treatment and any fixation, and support the decision to operate. 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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 23515 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

23515 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$613.59
Alaska*Unavailable$827.17
ArizonaUnavailable$660.45
ArkansasUnavailable$605.51
AtlantaUnavailable$697.79
AustinUnavailable$689.60
BakersfieldUnavailable$688.37
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$721.25
BeaumontUnavailable$647.57
BrazoriaUnavailable$664.62

23515 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
23515 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 23515 rate is calculated

Each of 23515’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 · 23515

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 9.45Practice expense 8.94Malpractice 1.94

20.3300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$679.04

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 23515

23515 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 23515

Clavicle fracture repair

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 · 23515

Clavicle fracture repair

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

23515 without 50 · national facility

$679.04

Clavicle fracture repair

23515-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,018.56

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

23515 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

23515 vs 23500 vs 23505 vs 23530: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 23515
    Clavicle fracture repair · 9.45 wRVU
    —
  • 23500
    Clavicle fracture care · 2.15 wRVU
    $258.19
  • 23505
    Clavicle fracture · 3.73 wRVU
    $408.83
  • 23530
    Joint dislocation surgery · 7.29 wRVU
    —

How to choose

23500Clavicle fracture care
23500 is for closed treatment without manipulation; 23515 is for open surgical treatment of the clavicle fracture.
23505Clavicle fracture
23505 describes closed treatment with manipulation. Choose 23515 when the fracture is treated through an open surgical approach.
23530Joint dislocation surgery
23530 concerns operative treatment of a sternoclavicular dislocation, not a clavicle fracture.

Codes related to 23515

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

Codes related to 23515
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
23500Clavicle fracture careClosed clavicle fracture treatment without manipulation.$226.74–$334.85
23505Clavicle fractureClosed clavicle fracture treatment with manipulation.$359.44–$523.65

23515 billing questions

How does this differ from 23500 or 23505?

Use 23515 for open surgical treatment of a clavicle fracture. Codes 23500 and 23505 describe closed treatment, distinguished by whether manipulation is performed.

Does the code require internal fixation?

The code covers open treatment of the fracture, with internal fixation when performed. The operative report should describe the treatment and document any fixation used.

Can both clavicles be reported?

For bilateral treatment, CMS lists modifier 50 and payment at 150%. The documentation should support treatment of fractures on both sides.

Are postoperative visits included?

Related postoperative care for 90 days is included in the global period, as is the day-before preoperative visit.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; 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 23515PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,220 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 23515 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 23515 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 →