Billing code 60270: ThyroidectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,228.82 for 60270 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 60270 covers

This code describes removal of thyroid tissue that extends below the thoracic inlet, approached through an incision in the neck. It is typically performed by an endocrine, general, or head and neck surgeon in a hospital operating room when the substernal portion can be managed through the cervical route. The operative report should establish the substernal extension and describe the approach and extent of tissue removed.

Select this code based on the substernal thyroid and cervical approach, not simply because the gland is removed. Distinguish it from a thoracic or sternal-split approach and from thyroid removal without a substernal component. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. 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. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team-surgery payment 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 60270 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

60270 rates by state

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

How the 60270 rate is calculated

Each of 60270’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 60270

60270 has a 90-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

60270 compared with similar codes

How to choose

60271Thyroidectomy

Both involve substernal thyroid tissue. Choose 60270 for the cervical route and 60271 when the operation uses a sternal split or thoracic approach.

60240Thyroidectomy

60240 describes total or complete thyroidectomy. Use 60270 when the substernal location and cervical approach define the operation.

60260Thyroidectomy

60260 describes removal of thyroid tissue remaining after an earlier partial thyroidectomy. It is not selected solely because the gland has substernal extension.

60252Thyroidectomy

60252 is for thyroidectomy for malignancy with limited neck dissection. This code distinguishes a substernal thyroid removed through a cervical approach.

Codes related to 60270

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