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Billing code 60254: ThyroidectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports complete thyroid removal for malignancy together with radical neck dissection, when both components are performed during the same operative service.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities100 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,481.66 for 60254 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 60254

Thyroidectomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
27.71
Total RVUs
44.36
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,481.66

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 60254 → · 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 60254 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 60254 covers

This service combines complete removal of the thyroid gland for malignancy with a radical neck dissection. It is typically performed by an otolaryngologist or head and neck surgeon in a hospital operating room. The operative report should establish the cancer indication, the extent of thyroid removal, and the neck dissection performed; a thyroidectomy without the radical dissection does not match this service.

Select this code when the documented operation includes both components, rather than a total thyroidectomy alone or one accompanied by a limited neck dissection. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted. A bilateral payment adjustment does not apply.

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 60254 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

60254 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,355.18
Alaska*Unavailable$1,885.81
ArizonaUnavailable$1,443.59
ArkansasUnavailable$1,339.83
AtlantaUnavailable$1,527.45
AustinUnavailable$1,484.06
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,462.85
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,567.31
BeaumontUnavailable$1,435.12
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,445.16

60254 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
60254 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 60254 rate is calculated

Each of 60254’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 · 60254

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 27.71Practice expense 11.13Malpractice 5.52

44.3600 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,481.66

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 60254

60254 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 60254

Thyroidectomy

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 · 60254

Thyroidectomy

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

60254 without 51 · national facility

$1,481.66

Thyroidectomy

60254-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$740.83

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

60254 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

60254 vs 60252 vs 60240 vs 60260: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 60254
    Thyroidectomy · 27.71 wRVU
    —
  • 60252
    Thyroidectomy · 21.46 wRVU
    —
  • 60240
    Thyroidectomy · 14.66 wRVU
    —
  • 60260
    Thyroidectomy · 17.8 wRVU
    —

How to choose

60252Thyroidectomy
Both involve thyroid removal for malignancy, but 60254 includes radical neck dissection; 60252 is for a limited neck dissection.
60240Thyroidectomy
60240 describes total or complete thyroid removal without the radical neck dissection included in 60254.
60260Thyroidectomy
60260 applies to a later operation removing thyroid tissue left after a previous partial thyroidectomy, not the combined initial cancer operation represented by 60254.

Codes related to 60254

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

Codes related to 60254
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
60252ThyroidectomyTotal thyroidectomy for malignancy with a limited rather than radical neck dissection.No office rate
Used instead
60240ThyroidectomyTotal thyroidectomy without the malignancy-related radical neck dissection.No office rate
60260ThyroidectomyRemoval of remaining thyroid tissue after a prior partial thyroidectomy.No office rate

60254 billing questions

How does this differ from 60252?

60254 is selected when the malignancy operation includes a radical neck dissection. Code 60252 is for a total thyroidectomy for malignancy with a limited neck dissection.

Can I report the neck dissection separately?

The radical neck dissection is part of the service represented by 60254. Do not separately report the same dissection as an additional procedure.

When is 60240 a better choice?

Use 60240 for total or complete thyroid removal when the operation does not include the malignancy-related radical neck dissection represented by 60254.

What documentation supports 60254?

The operative report should identify malignancy as the indication and describe complete thyroid removal and the radical neck dissection actually performed.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%. The code has a 90-day global period.

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 60254PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,704 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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