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Billing code 32141: Lung lesion excisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Report this service for open thoracotomy with surgical excision of a focal lung lesion, such as a pulmonary nodule requiring wedge resection.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities78 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,433.57 for 32141 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 32141

Lung lesion excision

Work RVUs
26.5
Total RVUs
42.92
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,433.57

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 32141 →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 32141 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 32141 covers

The surgeon opens the chest through a thoracotomy and removes a focal lesion from the lung. A wedge resection may be performed for a suspicious nodule or another localized abnormality when open access is used. This is generally an inpatient or hospital-based thoracic surgery service performed by a thoracic or other qualified surgeon; the 2024 Medicare file records facility services for this code.

Choose the code when the operative report supports open excision of a lung lesion, rather than treatment directed specifically at bullae, a lung abscess, or a foreign body. Document the lesion, operative approach, and extent of excision. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. 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. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 32141 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

32141 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,297.10
Alaska*Unavailable$1,798.81
ArizonaUnavailable$1,391.73
ArkansasUnavailable$1,280.63
AtlantaUnavailable$1,485.66
AustinUnavailable$1,429.34
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,396.00
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,523.81
BeaumontUnavailable$1,388.38
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,389.34

32141 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.

View every state and territory as a table
32141 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 32141 rate is calculated

Each of 32141’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 · 32141

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work26.50

26.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense9.84

9.84 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice6.58

6.58 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

42.9200

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,433.57

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 32141

32141 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 32141

Lung lesion 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)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 · 32141

Lung lesion 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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned 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

32141 without 51 · national facility

$1,433.57

Lung lesion excision

32141-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$716.79

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

32141 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

  • 32141

    Lung lesion excision26.5 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 32140

    Bullectomy16.24 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 32150

    Lung lesion removal16.4 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 32666

    Lung wedge resection14.14 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

32140Bullectomy
32141 describes open excision of a focal lung lesion; 32140 is directed to excision or plication of bullae and includes any pleural procedure.
32150Lung lesion removal
Use 32150 when the open operation removes a lung abscess. Code 32141 applies to excision of a lung lesion rather than abscess removal.
32666Lung wedge resection
Both can involve lung wedge resection, but 32141 is for an open thoracotomy and 32666 is for a thoracoscopic approach.

Codes related to 32141

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

Codes related to 32141
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
32140BullectomyUsed for open excision or plication of lung bullae, including any pleural procedure.No office rate
32150Lung lesion removalSpecifically describes open removal of a lung abscess.No office rate
32151Lung foreign body removalUsed when the open procedure removes a foreign body from the lung.No office rate
32666Lung wedge resectionRepresents thoracoscopic wedge resection rather than excision through open thoracotomy.No office rate
32100Chest explorationUsed for limited thoracotomy for lung or pleural biopsy, not excision of a lesion.No office rate

32141 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 32140?

Use 32141 for open excision of a focal lung lesion. Code 32140 is directed to excision or plication of bullae, including any pleural procedure.

Is this code appropriate for a thoracoscopic wedge resection?

No. This code describes an open thoracotomy approach; a thoracoscopic wedge resection is represented by a different code.

What documentation supports reporting 32141?

The operative report should identify the lung lesion, document the thoracotomy approach, and describe its surgical excision.

Are related postoperative visits separately reported?

Related postoperative care during the 90-day global period is included, as is the day-before preoperative visit.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

How does the multiple procedure rule affect payment?

For procedures performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard reduction.

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 32141PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,695 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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