Billing code 28120: Bone excisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $686.72 for 28120 nationally in the office and $468.61 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $612.44–$882.14.

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

What 28120 covers

An orthopedic or foot and ankle surgeon removes a portion of the talus or calcaneus. The work may involve shaping or scooping out bone, removing a sequestrum, or excising a segment. Typical clinical reasons include osteomyelitis or a localized bone lesion. The service is generally performed in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the affected bone and the extent of removal.

Choose this code when the documented procedure is a partial excision of the talus or calcaneus, rather than a biopsy alone or removal of a different foot bone. The operative note should support the bone treated, the indication, and the partial excision performed. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; co-surgeon payment requires 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 28120 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

28120 rates by state

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

How the 28120 rate is calculated

Each of 28120’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 28120

28120 has a 90-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

28120 compared with similar codes

How to choose

28100Bone lesion excision

28100 describes excisional bone biopsy in the foot. Use 28120 when the operative service is partial removal of talus or calcaneus bone, not biopsy alone.

28122Tarsal bone excision

28122 covers partial excision of other tarsal or metatarsal bones. For the talus or calcaneus, use 28120.

28118Heel bone resection

28118 is calcaneal ostectomy. Select between it and 28120 based on the specific procedure documented, including whether the work is a partial excision as described for 28120.

28130Talectomy

28130 reports removal of the talus. Code 28120 is for partial excision of the talus or calcaneus.

Codes related to 28120

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