Billing code 24200: Foreign body removalMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $243.16 for 24200 nationally in the office and $143.29 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $213.03–$320.22.

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

What 24200 covers

This procedure removes material embedded in the subcutaneous tissue of the upper arm or elbow. A clinician makes an incision, locates and extracts the foreign body, and closes or dresses the wound as appropriate. Common situations include removal of a retained fragment after an injury, such as glass or metal in the arm or near the elbow. The service may be performed in an office, procedure room, or operating room, depending on the foreign body's location and the circumstances of removal.

Select this code when the site is the upper arm or elbow and the foreign body is subcutaneous; document the location, tissue depth, and removal performed. A deeper foreign body in this region points to 24201 instead. Medicare assigns a 10-day global period, including related postoperative visits during that period. When bilateral services are reported with modifier 50, CMS pays at 150%. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 24200 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

24200 rates by state

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

How the 24200 rate is calculated

Each of 24200’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 24200

24200 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

24200 compared with similar codes

How to choose

24201Foreign body removal

Both codes cover the upper arm or elbow region; choose 24200 for a subcutaneous foreign body and 24201 for a deep one.

10120Foreign body removal

10120 describes simple incision and removal of a subcutaneous foreign body generally. Use 24200 when the documented site is the upper arm or elbow.

10121Foreign body removal

10121 describes complicated incision and removal of a subcutaneous foreign body generally. 24200 is specific to the upper arm or elbow and the subcutaneous depth.

23330Foreign-body removal

23330 is for subcutaneous foreign body removal at the shoulder; 24200 applies to the upper arm or elbow.

Codes related to 24200

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