Billing code 23930: Deep drainageMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $381.10 for 23930 nationally in the office and $205.08 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $334.11–$498.71.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 23930 covers

Code 23930 covers operative opening and evacuation of a deep abscess or hematoma in the upper arm or elbow region. An orthopedic or other surgeon typically performs it when the collection lies beyond a superficial skin or subcutaneous pocket and requires deeper exposure for drainage. The procedure may take place in an operating room or, when appropriate, an office procedure room. The target is a deep collection, not an elbow bursa.

Report the service for the documented drainage, specifying the side and region, the collection and its depth, and the work performed to expose and evacuate it. Documentation should distinguish a deep collection from a skin-level abscess or bursal process. CMS assigns a 10-day minor-procedure global period, including related postoperative visits during that period. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral performance with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery is not 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 23930 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

23930 rates by state

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

How the 23930 rate is calculated

Each of 23930’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 23930

23930 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

23930 compared with similar codes

How to choose

23931Bursal drainage

23931 is for drainage of an upper-arm or elbow bursa. Choose 23930 when the target is a deep abscess or hematoma outside the bursa.

23030Shoulder drainage

Both address deep abscess or hematoma drainage, but 23030 is for the shoulder region; 23930 is for the upper arm or elbow area.

10060Abscess drainage

10060 describes simple drainage of a superficial skin or subcutaneous abscess. Use 23930 for a deep upper-arm or elbow collection requiring deeper exposure.

10140Fluid drainage

10140 describes drainage of a hematoma, seroma, or fluid collection. Consider 23930 when the service is deep drainage in the upper arm or elbow region.

Codes related to 23930

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates