FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 32124: ThoracotomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports an open chest operation to release intrathoracic adhesions, with limited decortication when performed, rather than exploration alone.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities340 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $899.15 for 32124 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 32124

Thoracotomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
15.06
Total RVUs
26.92
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$899.15

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 32124 → · 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 32124 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 32124 covers

A thoracic surgeon performs an open thoracotomy to release adhesions within the chest, such as fibrous bands that tether the lung or pleural surfaces. The operation may include limited decortication as part of freeing the affected structures. This service is generally performed in a hospital operating room when the surgeon needs open access to address the adhesions; it is distinct from a thoracoscopic approach.

Select this code when the operative work includes adhesion lysis, not simply inspection or exploration of the chest. The operative report should identify the adhesions, the structures involved, and the work performed; document any limited decortication. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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 32124 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

32124 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$811.04
Alaska*Unavailable$1,112.20
ArizonaUnavailable$872.76
ArkansasUnavailable$800.32
AtlantaUnavailable$930.11
AustinUnavailable$901.65
BakersfieldUnavailable$885.90
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$956.61
BeaumontUnavailable$865.87
BrazoriaUnavailable$873.25

32124 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

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
32124 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 32124 rate is calculated

Each of 32124’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 · 32124

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 15.06Practice expense 8.12Malpractice 3.74

26.9200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$899.15

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 32124

32124 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 32124

Thoracotomy

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)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.76/0.14Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 32124

Thoracotomy

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

32124 without 51 · national facility

$899.15

Thoracotomy

32124-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$449.58

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

32124 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

32124 vs 32100 vs 32120 vs 32651: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 32124
    Thoracotomy · 15.06 wRVU
    —
  • 32100
    Chest exploration · 13.41 wRVU
    —
  • 32120
    Chest re-exploration · 14.03 wRVU
    —
  • 32651
    Thoracoscopic decortication · 18.31 wRVU
    —

How to choose

32100Chest exploration
32100 is for open chest exploration. Use 32124 when the operative work includes releasing intrathoracic adhesions, with or without limited decortication.
32120Chest re-exploration
32120 identifies chest re-exploration. Distinguish it from 32124 by the documented operative service, particularly whether adhesion lysis is performed.
32651Thoracoscopic decortication
32651 describes a thoracoscopic procedure involving partial pulmonary decortication. The operative approach is the key distinction from this open thoracotomy code.

Codes related to 32124

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

Codes related to 32124
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
32100Chest explorationOpen chest exploration without the adhesion-lysis work that distinguishes 32124.No office rate
32120Chest re-explorationUsed for chest re-exploration rather than an operation centered on adhesion lysis.No office rate
32651Thoracoscopic decorticationThoracoscopic approach for partial pulmonary decortication, rather than open thoracotomy.No office rate

32124 billing questions

How does this differ from 32100?

32100 describes open chest exploration. Report 32124 when the operation includes releasing intrathoracic adhesions, with limited decortication if performed.

When is 32120 a better choice?

32120 describes re-exploration of the chest. Choose based on the work documented: re-exploration versus an operation that includes lysis of adhesions.

Can limited decortication be included?

Yes. Limited decortication may be part of the adhesion-lysis operation; document the extent and work in the operative report.

Can modifier 50 be reported?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.

How are other same-session procedures paid?

Under the standard multiple procedure rule, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the reduction. The 90-day global period includes related postoperative care.

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 32124PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,693 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 32124 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 32124 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →