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CPT 43287: EsophagectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports resection of the distal two-thirds of the esophagus after laparoscopic mobilization of the thoracic esophagus, commonly for distal esophageal cancer.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities956 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $3,294.00 for 43287 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 43287

Esophagectomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
61.43
Total RVUs
98.62
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$3,294.00

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 43287 → · 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 43287 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 43287 covers

This operation removes the distal two-thirds of the esophagus after the surgeon mobilizes the thoracic esophagus laparoscopically. It is commonly performed for resectable distal esophageal cancer and may be part of a planned operation that restores continuity of the digestive tract. A surgeon performs the procedure in an operating room, generally in a hospital setting.

Select this code when the operative report supports both the specified extent of esophageal resection and laparoscopic mobilization. Document the operative approach and the portion of esophagus removed; do not select it solely because laparoscopy was used for another part of the case. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. CMS permits assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon payment, but not team-surgery payment.

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 43287 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

43287 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$2,978.34
Alaska*Unavailable$4,133.86
ArizonaUnavailable$3,196.84
ArkansasUnavailable$2,940.30
AtlantaUnavailable$3,416.05
AustinUnavailable$3,280.87
BakersfieldUnavailable$3,199.45
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$3,502.63
BeaumontUnavailable$3,192.06
BrazoriaUnavailable$3,189.71

43287 rates by state

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

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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
43287 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 43287 rate is calculated

Each of 43287’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 · 43287

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 61.43Practice expense 21.65Malpractice 15.54

98.6200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$3,294.00

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 43287

43287 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 43287

Esophagectomy

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)2Permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.09/0.81/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 43287

Esophagectomy

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

43287 without 51 · national facility

$3,294.00

Esophagectomy

43287-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$1,647.00

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

43287 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

43287 vs 43286 vs 43288 vs 43289: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 43287
    Esophagectomy · 61.43 wRVU
    —
  • 43286
    Esophagectomy · 53.63 wRVU
    —
  • 43288
    Esophagectomy · 64.76 wRVU
    —
  • 43289
    · 0 wRVU
    —

How to choose

43286Esophagectomy
Use 43287 for removal of the distal two-thirds with laparoscopic mobilization; 43286 describes total esophagectomy with laparoscopic mobilization.
43288Esophagectomy
43287 specifies laparoscopic mobilization, whereas 43288 describes esophagectomy with thoracoscopic mobilization.
43289Unlisted laps px esoph
Use 43289 for a laparoscopic esophageal procedure that lacks a more specific listed code; 43287 specifically describes distal two-thirds esophagectomy with laparoscopic mobilization.

Codes related to 43287

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

Codes related to 43287
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
43286EsophagectomyTotal esophagectomy with laparoscopic mobilization, rather than resection of the distal two-thirds.No office rate
Used instead
43288EsophagectomyEsophagectomy using thoracoscopic rather than laparoscopic mobilization.No office rate
43289Unlisted laps px esophUnlisted laparoscopic esophageal procedure when no listed code describes the operation.No office rate

43287 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 43286?

43287 describes resection of the distal two-thirds of the esophagus with laparoscopic mobilization. 43286 describes total esophagectomy with laparoscopic mobilization.

How is this code distinguished from 43288?

The codes describe different operative approaches: 43287 involves laparoscopic mobilization, while 43288 involves thoracoscopic mobilization.

What documentation supports reporting 43287?

The operative report should identify the extent of esophageal resection and document laparoscopic mobilization of the thoracic esophagus.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

CMS permits assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon payment for this procedure. Team-surgery payment is not permitted.

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.

What care is included in the global period?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of 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 43287PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,211 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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