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Billing code 25031: Bursal drainageMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports operative incision and drainage of a forearm or wrist bursa, typically to evacuate infected or otherwise abnormal bursal fluid.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities80 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $364.07 for 25031 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 25031

Bursal drainage

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
4.15
Total RVUs
10.90
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$364.07

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 25031 → · 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 25031 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 25031 covers

This service opens a bursa in the forearm or wrist and drains its contents. It is most often performed by an orthopedic or hand surgeon when a bursa requires operative drainage, such as for suspected infection or a persistent fluid collection. The operative note should identify the bursa and side, describe the findings, and document the incision and drainage performed.

Choose this code when the structure treated is a bursa, rather than a deep soft-tissue abscess, tendon sheath, or bone. The CMS global period includes 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 the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. 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 25031 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

25031 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$326.70
Alaska*Unavailable$432.75
ArizonaUnavailable$353.72
ArkansasUnavailable$322.05
AtlantaUnavailable$373.59
AustinUnavailable$372.31
BakersfieldUnavailable$373.87
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$387.62
BeaumontUnavailable$344.34
BrazoriaUnavailable$356.88

25031 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
25031 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 25031 rate is calculated

Each of 25031’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 · 25031

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 4.15Practice expense 5.86Malpractice 0.89

10.9000 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$364.07

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 25031

25031 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 25031

Bursal drainage

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)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
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 · 25031

Bursal drainage

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

25031 without 50 · national facility

$364.07

Bursal drainage

25031-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$546.11

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

25031 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

25031 vs 25028 vs 25000: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 25031
    Bursal drainage · 4.15 wRVU
    —
  • 25028
    Collection drainage · 5.26 wRVU
    —
  • 25000
    Tendon release · 3.46 wRVU
    —

How to choose

25028Collection drainage
Choose 25031 for drainage of a bursa. Choose 25028 when the operative target is a deep abscess or hematoma in the forearm or wrist.
25000Tendon release
Code 25000 concerns incision of a tendon sheath. Use 25031 when the structure opened and drained is a bursa.

Codes related to 25031

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

Codes related to 25031
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
23031Bursa drainageBursal incision and drainage in the shoulder region.$405.64–$623.03
Used instead
25028Collection drainageFor drainage of a deep forearm or wrist abscess or hematoma rather than a bursa.No office rate

25031 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 25028?

Use 25031 when the operative target is a forearm or wrist bursa. Code 25028 describes drainage of a deep abscess or hematoma in that region, not a bursa.

What documentation supports reporting 25031?

Document the forearm or wrist bursa treated, laterality, operative findings, and the drainage performed. The record should make clear that the treated structure was a bursa.

How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?

The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.

How is bilateral drainage handled?

When the procedure is performed bilaterally, CMS payment with modifier 50 is at 150%.

Can an assistant or another surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only with documentation of medical necessity. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.

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 25031PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,375 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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