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Billing code 60212: Thyroid surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports partial removal of one thyroid lobe together with subtotal resection of the opposite lobe during the same operation.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities61 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $972.97 for 60212 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 60212

Thyroid surgery

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
16.02
Total RVUs
29.13
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$972.97

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 60212 → · 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 60212 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 60212 covers

This code describes an operation that removes part of one thyroid lobe and most, but not all, of the opposite lobe. It is used when the surgeon performs both parts of that asymmetric resection in one session, such as for thyroid disease involving both sides. An endocrine surgeon, otolaryngologist, or general surgeon typically performs the operation in a hospital operating room.

Choose the code from the operative report’s description of the amount removed from each lobe; a general statement that a partial thyroidectomy was performed is not enough to establish this specific combination. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. When other procedures in the same session are subject to the multiple-procedure rule, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. 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 60212 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

60212 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$874.06
Alaska*Unavailable$1,195.49
ArizonaUnavailable$943.24
ArkansasUnavailable$862.05
AtlantaUnavailable$1,008.03
AustinUnavailable$974.85
BakersfieldUnavailable$955.55
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,036.94
BeaumontUnavailable$936.27
BrazoriaUnavailable$943.14

60212 rates by state

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

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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
60212 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 60212 rate is calculated

Each of 60212’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 · 60212

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 16.02Practice expense 8.83Malpractice 4.28

29.1300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$972.97

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 60212

60212 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 60212

Thyroid surgery

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)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.09/0.82/0.09Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 60212

Thyroid surgery

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

60212 without 51 · national facility

$972.97

Thyroid surgery

60212-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$486.49

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

60212 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

60212 vs 60210 vs 60225 vs 60240: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 60212
    Thyroid surgery · 16.02 wRVU
    —
  • 60210
    Thyroid surgery · 10.95 wRVU
    —
  • 60225
    Thyroid surgery · 14.42 wRVU
    —
  • 60240
    Thyroidectomy · 14.66 wRVU
    —

How to choose

60210Thyroid surgery
Use 60212 when the operation includes subtotal resection of the opposite lobe as well as partial resection on one side. 60210 represents partial thyroidectomy without that specified combination.
60225Thyroid surgery
Both describe resection involving the opposite lobe, but 60225 includes total or subtotal removal on the first side. 60212 specifies partial removal on that side.
60240Thyroidectomy
60240 is for complete thyroid removal. 60212 describes less extensive, asymmetric resection, with partial removal on one side and subtotal removal on the other.

Codes related to 60212

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

Codes related to 60212
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
60210Thyroid surgeryPartial thyroid resection without the specified opposite-side subtotal resection.No office rate
60220Thyroid lobectomyUnilateral total or subtotal thyroid resection, with or without isthmusectomy.No office rate
60225Thyroid surgeryPairs a total or subtotal resection on one side with subtotal resection on the other.No office rate
Used instead
60240ThyroidectomyUse for complete thyroid removal rather than the partial and subtotal resection pattern.No office rate
60200Thyroid surgeryDescribes excision of a thyroid lesion rather than the bilateral lobe resection pattern.No office rate

60212 billing questions

How does this differ from 60210?

60212 describes partial removal on one side plus subtotal removal on the other. Use 60210 when the operative work does not include that contralateral subtotal resection.

How does this differ from 60225?

60225 describes total or subtotal removal on one side with subtotal removal on the other. The distinction is the extent of resection on the first side.

Should modifier 50 be appended?

No. The code represents a specified operation involving both sides, and the CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply.

What documentation supports reporting 60212?

The operative report should describe the resection on each side and support partial removal on one side with subtotal removal on the opposite side.

How is postoperative care handled?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

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 60212PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,699 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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