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Billing code 49060: Abscess drainageMedicare rate & RVUs

Open operative drainage of an abscess in the retroperitoneal space, selected when the infected collection is behind the peritoneum.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities428 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,026.08 for 49060 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 49060

Abscess drainage

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
18.07
Total RVUs
30.72
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,026.08

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 49060 → · 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 49060 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 49060 covers

A surgeon opens the retroperitoneal space to reach and evacuate an abscess, which may involve areas such as the psoas region or tissue near the kidney. The operation may include irrigation and placement of a drain. General surgeons and other surgeons managing the affected organ or space typically perform it in an operating room when open access is needed to treat the collection.

Report this code when the operative findings and approach support drainage of a retroperitoneal abscess through an open incision. The record should identify the collection’s location and describe the open access and drainage performed. Medicare 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code’s anatomy. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; co-surgeons require 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 49060 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

49060 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$929.50
Alaska*Unavailable$1,282.52
ArizonaUnavailable$996.97
ArkansasUnavailable$917.78
AtlantaUnavailable$1,060.85
AustinUnavailable$1,027.43
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,009.14
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,089.80
BeaumontUnavailable$990.74
BrazoriaUnavailable$997.22

49060 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
49060 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 49060 rate is calculated

Each of 49060’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 · 49060

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 18.07Practice expense 8.41Malpractice 4.24

30.7200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,026.08

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 49060

49060 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 49060

Abscess drainage

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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
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 · 49060

Abscess drainage

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

49060 without 51 · national facility

$1,026.08

Abscess drainage

49060-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$513.04

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

49060 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

49060 vs 49062 vs 49020 vs 49010: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 49060
    Abscess drainage · 18.07 wRVU
    —
  • 49062
    Peritoneal drainage · 11.91 wRVU
    —
  • 49020
    Abscess drainage · 26 wRVU
    —
  • 49010
    Retroperitoneal exploration · 15.66 wRVU
    —

How to choose

49062Peritoneal drainage
Both codes concern a retroperitoneal abscess; choose 49060 for open drainage and 49062 for percutaneous drainage.
49020Abscess drainage
This code is for an abscess in the retroperitoneal space. Code 49020 addresses open drainage of a peritoneal abscess or localized peritonitis.
49010Retroperitoneal exploration
Code 49010 describes exploration of the retroperitoneal area, with or without biopsy. Code 49060 is selected when the service is open drainage of a retroperitoneal abscess.

Codes related to 49060

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

Codes related to 49060
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
49062Peritoneal drainagePercutaneous rather than open drainage of a retroperitoneal abscess.No office rate
49020Abscess drainageOpen drainage for a peritoneal abscess or localized peritonitis, not a retroperitoneal collection.No office rate
49040Abscess drainagePercutaneous drainage for a peritoneal abscess or localized peritonitis.No office rate

49060 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 49062?

Both address a retroperitoneal abscess, but 49060 is for open drainage. Code 49062 describes percutaneous drainage.

When is 49020 more appropriate?

Use 49020 for open drainage of a peritoneal abscess or localized peritonitis, rather than a collection in the retroperitoneal space.

Can modifier 50 be appended for bilateral drainage?

No. The CMS facts specify that bilateral adjustment does not apply because the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.

Can an assistant at surgery be paid for this procedure?

Medicare payment for an assistant at surgery is restricted for this code. Co-surgeon payment is considered only with supporting documentation.

What should the operative report document?

Document the abscess location in the retroperitoneal space, the open approach, and the drainage performed. These details distinguish the service from peritoneal abscess drainage and percutaneous treatment.

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 49060PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,768 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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