Billing code 28153: Toe bone removalMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $398.47 for 28153 nationally in the office and $250.84 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $355.62–$522.56.

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

What 28153 covers

A podiatrist or orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon may perform this procedure to remove part of a toe bone causing a painful prominence or pressure problem. The operation removes bone while leaving the rest of the toe in place; it is distinct from removing an entire toe. It is typically performed in an operating room or ambulatory surgery setting, with the operative report identifying the toe and the bone removed.

Report the code when the documented procedure matches partial toe-bone excision, not removal of a soft-tissue lesion or complete toe-bone excision. The note should support the indication, site, and extent of bone removal. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and 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 28153 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

28153 rates by state

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

How the 28153 rate is calculated

Each of 28153’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 28153

28153 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 51

28153 compared with similar codes

How to choose

28124Toe bone excision

Both relate to partial toe-bone excision. Choose based on the specific procedure performed and the corresponding billing code descriptor, rather than treating the codes as interchangeable.

28126Toe bone excision

This is another partial toe-bone procedure code. The operative report and exact procedure determine which code fits.

28150Toe amputation

28150 describes complete excision of a toe phalanx; this code is for partial removal, with bone remaining.

28160Toe bone excision

Compare the documented extent and type of toe-bone removal with the code descriptor; do not substitute it based only on the general phrase 'partial removal of toe.'

Codes related to 28153

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