Billing code 54015: Penile drainageMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $277.23 for 54015 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 54015 covers

This service involves surgically opening a deep collection in penile tissue and draining its contents. It is typically performed by a urologist or another qualified surgeon in a facility setting when examination identifies a deep penile abscess requiring operative drainage. It is distinct from treating a penile surface lesion or making an incision in the foreskin for a preputial problem.

Report the code when the operative note supports both the penile site and the depth of the collection, with the incision and drainage described. The service has a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. 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. A bilateral adjustment is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 54015 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

54015 rates by state

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

How the 54015 rate is calculated

Each of 54015’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 54015

54015 has a 10-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

54015 compared with similar codes

How to choose

10060Abscess drainage

This code is specific to a deep penile collection. Code 10060 describes drainage of a simple or single cutaneous abscess and is not selected solely because an incision is made.

10061Abscess drainage

Code 10061 addresses complicated or multiple cutaneous abscess drainage. For 54015, the distinguishing documentation is a deep collection in the penis.

54050Penile lesion destruction

Code 54050 is for destruction of penile lesion(s), not incision and drainage of a deep abscess or collection.

54000Dorsal slit

Code 54000 concerns incision of the prepuce. It is not the code for opening and draining a deep penile collection.

Codes related to 54015

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