Billing code 28140: Metatarsal excisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports complete removal of a metatarsal, such as for severe bone infection or destructive disease requiring excision of the entire bone.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities752 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $561.80 for 28140 nationally in the office and $396.13 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $505.14–$706.01.

Medicare rate · 28140

Metatarsal excision

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
6.96
Total RVUs
16.82
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$561.80

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 28140 → · 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 28140 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 28140 covers

This service removes an entire metatarsal bone in the foot. An orthopedic surgeon or podiatric surgeon may perform it when disease or damage requires complete bone excision, such as severe metatarsal osteomyelitis. The operative report should identify the metatarsal and describe removal of the whole bone, rather than only its head or a limited portion.

Report 28140 when the documented procedure removes the complete metatarsal; use a partial-excision code when only part is removed. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in its major-surgery global period. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 28140 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$505.14 to $706.01

$505.14$605.58$706.01
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

28140 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$511.45$366.49
Alaska*$684.17$507.73
Arizona$548.23$387.70
Arkansas$505.14$362.83
Atlanta$573.27$404.95
Austin$576.26$400.98
Bakersfield$583.36$401.79
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$594.44$416.68
Beaumont$532.73$381.97
Brazoria$554.43$390.25

28140 rates by state

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

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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.

$505.14

$684.17

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
28140 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$684.171
AL$511.451
AR$505.141
AZ$548.231
CA$580.72–$706.0129
CO$577.261
CT$595.761
DC$631.051
DE$556.371
FL$563.57–$619.543
GA$535.15–$573.272
GU$590.331
HI$590.331
IA$518.411
ID$522.171
IL$552.47–$603.424
IN$524.651
KS$518.301
KY$526.021
LA$526.10–$548.172
MA$575.37–$626.192
MD$565.29–$631.053
ME$526.60–$548.142
MI$539.57–$571.712
MN$549.561
MO$519.68–$547.483
MS$512.401
MT$561.741
NC$531.001
ND$544.151
NE$520.241
NH$570.371
NJ$601.55–$626.412
NM$542.911
NV$557.141
NY$537.99–$658.785
OH$535.981
OK$523.121
OR$551.78–$591.172
PA$535.60–$584.012
PR$564.651
RI$572.901
SC$534.571
SD$542.061
TN$520.781
TX$532.73–$576.268
UT$540.791
VA$547.97–$631.052
VI$564.651
VT$544.121
WA$573.60–$636.002
WI$528.651
WV$535.371
WY$554.071

How the 28140 rate is calculated

Each of 28140’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 · 28140

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 6.96Practice expense 8.97Malpractice 0.89

16.8200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$561.80

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 28140

28140 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 28140

Metatarsal excision

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)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
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 · 28140

Metatarsal excision

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 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

28140 without 51 · national office

$561.80

Metatarsal excision

28140-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$280.90

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

28140 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

28140 vs 28110 vs 28114 vs 28122 vs 28173: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 28140
    Metatarsal excision · 6.96 wRVU
    $561.80
  • 28110
    Metatarsal resection · 4.11 wRVU
    $467.28−$94.52
  • 28114
    Metatarsal head excision · 11.7 wRVU
    $1,113.25+$551.45
  • 28122
    Tarsal bone excision · 6.59 wRVU
    $599.21+$37.41
  • 28173
    Bone tumor surgery · 13.81 wRVU
    —

How to choose

28110Metatarsal resection
28110 describes partial excision at the fifth metatarsal head. Use 28140 when the entire metatarsal is removed.
28114Metatarsal head excision
28114 addresses metatarsal head removal. 28140 represents complete removal of the metatarsal, not just its head.
28122Tarsal bone excision
28122 is for partial excision of a tarsal or metatarsal bone. Choose 28140 when the full metatarsal is excised.
28173Bone tumor surgery
28173 is for resection of a metatarsal tumor. For complete metatarsal excision for another indication, consider 28140.

28140 billing questions

How does 28140 differ from a partial metatarsal excision?

Use 28140 when the operative report supports removal of the entire metatarsal. Codes for partial excision apply when only a portion is removed.

Does removing only a metatarsal head support 28140?

No. A procedure limited to the metatarsal head is distinct from complete removal of the metatarsal; select the code that matches the documented extent.

What postoperative care is included?

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

Can modifier 50 be used when both feet are treated?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 is not appropriate.

How are multiple procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the session are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided.

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 28140PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,137 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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