Billing code 44900: Abscess drainageMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $743.84 for 44900 nationally in a facility.

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

What 44900 covers

This code describes an operation to open and drain an abscess associated with the appendix through an open approach. A general surgeon typically performs it in a hospital operating room when appendicitis has led to a localized collection and the operative plan is drainage rather than removal of the appendix. The operative report should identify the appendiceal abscess and document the open drainage performed.

Report the code when the documented operation matches open drainage; do not select it for appendectomy alone. It has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of 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 not appropriate for the single appendix. 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 44900 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

44900 rates by state

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

How the 44900 rate is calculated

Each of 44900’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 44900

44900 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

44900 compared with similar codes

How to choose

44960Appendectomy

Use 44900 for open drainage of the appendiceal abscess; use 44960 when the operation includes appendectomy for rupture with abscess or generalized peritonitis.

44950Appendectomy

44950 describes appendectomy, while 44900 describes open drainage of an appendiceal abscess. Base selection on the operative service documented.

44970Appendectomy

44970 describes laparoscopic appendectomy. It is not the open abscess-drainage service represented by 44900.

Codes related to 44900

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