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Billing code 27602: Leg decompressionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports fasciotomy releasing all lower-leg compartments, typically as urgent surgical treatment for acute compartment syndrome after trauma or impaired perfusion.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.8K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $443.90 for 27602 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 27602

Leg decompression

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
7.62
Total RVUs
13.29
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$443.90

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 27602 → · 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 27602 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 27602 covers

This operation opens the fascial compartments of the lower leg to relieve dangerously elevated pressure; the surgeon may remove nonviable tissue during the procedure. Orthopedic and trauma surgeons commonly perform it urgently for acute compartment syndrome, such as after a severe fracture, crush injury, or restoration of blood flow. The release covers all lower-leg compartments, rather than only the anterior and lateral compartments or only the posterior compartment.

Report 27602 when the operative work decompresses all compartments. The operative report should identify the compartments released and describe the indication and any debridement performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur 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 may be made; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team-surgery payment 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 27602 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

27602 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$400.82
Alaska*Unavailable$551.19
ArizonaUnavailable$430.93
ArkansasUnavailable$395.59
AtlantaUnavailable$459.31
AustinUnavailable$444.59
BakersfieldUnavailable$436.33
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$472.09
BeaumontUnavailable$428.05
BrazoriaUnavailable$430.98

27602 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
27602 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 27602 rate is calculated

Each of 27602’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 · 27602

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 7.62Practice expense 3.79Malpractice 1.88

13.2900 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$443.90

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 27602

27602 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 27602

Leg decompression

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 · 27602

Leg decompression

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

27602 without 50 · national facility

$443.90

Leg decompression

27602-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$665.85

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

27602 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

27602 vs 27600 vs 27601 vs 27603: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 27602
    Leg decompression · 7.62 wRVU
    —
  • 27600
    Leg decompression · 5.88 wRVU
    —
  • 27601
    Leg fasciotomy · 5.9 wRVU
    —
  • 27603
    Deep drainage · 5.1 wRVU
    $544.77

How to choose

27600Leg decompression
Choose 27600 when the operative release is limited to the anterior and/or lateral compartments, not all lower-leg compartments.
27601Leg fasciotomy
Choose 27601 when the release is limited to the posterior compartment; 27602 describes decompression of all compartments.
27603Deep drainage
27603 is for drainage of a lower-leg lesion. It does not describe the pressure-relieving all-compartment release reported with 27602.

Codes related to 27602

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

Codes related to 27602
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
27600Leg decompressionLower-leg decompression limited to the anterior and/or lateral compartments.No office rate
27601Leg fasciotomyLower-leg decompression limited to the posterior compartment.No office rate

27602 billing questions

How does 27602 differ from 27600 and 27601?

27602 is for release of all lower-leg compartments. 27600 describes release of the anterior and/or lateral compartments, while 27601 describes release of the posterior compartment.

Can debridement be part of 27602?

Yes. The all-compartment decompression may include debridement of nonviable tissue when performed as part of the operation.

What documentation supports reporting 27602?

Document the acute condition prompting decompression, the compartments released, and any debridement performed. The operative details should support release of all compartments rather than a more limited release.

How is 27602 reported when both legs are treated?

CMS lists bilateral reporting with modifier 50, paid at 150%. The operative documentation should support decompression of all compartments in each treated leg.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team-surgery payment 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 27602PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,964 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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