Billing code 60000: Cyst drainageMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $187.05 for 60000 nationally in the office and $145.63 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $166.09–$242.64.

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

What 60000 covers

billing code 60000 describes operative drainage of an infected thyroglossal duct cyst, a congenital midline neck lesion that may become tender, swollen, or fluctuant. An otolaryngologist or head-and-neck surgeon, pediatric surgeon, or general surgeon typically makes an incision to release infected contents and manage the cavity. This service drains the cyst; it does not remove the cyst and duct tract. It is performed in a procedural or operating-room setting when the infection requires surgical drainage.

Report the code when the operative record identifies an infected thyroglossal duct cyst and documents incision and drainage. Drainage of a separate skin abscess is not this service, and definitive cyst excision is a different procedure. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, including related postoperative visits during that period. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 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 60000 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

60000 rates by state

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

How the 60000 rate is calculated

Each of 60000’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 60000

60000 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

60000 compared with similar codes

How to choose

60280Duct lesion excision

60000 drains an infected thyroglossal duct cyst; 60280 represents excision of the cyst or sinus rather than drainage.

60281Duct lesion excision

Use 60281 for excision of a recurrent thyroglossal duct cyst or sinus. Code 60000 is for incision and drainage of an infected cyst.

10060Abscess drainage

10060 is for drainage of a simple cutaneous abscess. Code 60000 identifies drainage of an infected thyroglossal duct cyst.

10061Abscess drainage

10061 applies to complicated or multiple cutaneous abscesses; it does not identify drainage of an infected thyroglossal duct cyst.

Codes related to 60000

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