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Billing code 60500: Parathyroid surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs

Report cervical exploration or removal of parathyroid tissue, commonly to locate and treat abnormal glands in patients with hyperparathyroidism.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities21.1K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $891.47 for 60500 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 60500

Parathyroid surgery

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
15.21
Total RVUs
26.69
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$891.47

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 60500 → · 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 60500 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 60500 covers

A surgeon explores the parathyroid glands through a cervical approach to locate abnormal tissue and may remove one or more glands. This operation is commonly performed for primary hyperparathyroidism caused by an adenoma or gland hyperplasia; it may also address other documented parathyroid disease. General, endocrine, and head-and-neck surgeons typically perform it in a hospital operating room. The code covers cervical exploration, including access to mediastinal glands through that approach; a sternotomy or transthoracic approach for mediastinal exploration is distinguished from this service.

Report the operation when the surgeon performs the cervical exploration or parathyroid removal, whether or not an abnormal gland is ultimately found. The operative report should support the indication, approach, extent of exploration, and any tissue removed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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 60500 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

60500 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$808.55
Alaska*Unavailable$1,112.21
ArizonaUnavailable$866.79
ArkansasUnavailable$798.45
AtlantaUnavailable$920.08
AustinUnavailable$895.25
BakersfieldUnavailable$882.79
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$946.16
BeaumontUnavailable$859.11
BrazoriaUnavailable$868.19

60500 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
60500 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 60500 rate is calculated

Each of 60500’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 · 60500

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 15.21Practice expense 8.09Malpractice 3.39

26.6900 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$891.47

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 60500

60500 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 60500

Parathyroid 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 · 60500

Parathyroid 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

60500 without 51 · national facility

$891.47

Parathyroid surgery

60500-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$445.74

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

60500 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

60500 vs 60502 vs 60505 vs 60512: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 60500
    Parathyroid surgery · 15.21 wRVU
    —
  • 60502
    Parathyroid exploration · 20.62 wRVU
    —
  • 60505
    Parathyroid exploration · 22.48 wRVU
    —
  • 60512
    Parathyroid transplant · 4.33 wRVU
    —

How to choose

60502Parathyroid exploration
60500 describes cervical exploration that is not a re-exploration. 60502 is the corresponding code when the surgeon re-explores the parathyroid region.
60505Parathyroid exploration
60500 applies to cervical access, including mediastinal glands reached through the neck. 60505 is for mediastinal exploration through a sternal split or transthoracic approach.
60512Parathyroid transplant
60500 represents the cervical exploration or removal. 60512 represents parathyroid tissue autotransplantation performed as an additional service.

Codes related to 60500

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

Codes related to 60500
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
60502Parathyroid explorationParathyroid exploration code for a repeat exploration.No office rate
60505Parathyroid explorationParathyroid exploration using sternal-split or transthoracic mediastinal access.No office rate
Add-on codes
60512Parathyroid transplantParathyroid autotransplantation may be reported as an additional service.No office rate

60500 billing questions

When should 60500 be chosen over 60502?

Use 60500 for a cervical exploration or removal that is not a re-exploration. 60502 identifies a repeat exploration of the parathyroid region.

How is 60500 distinguished from 60505?

60500 describes the cervical approach, including mediastinal glands reached through that approach. Use 60505 when mediastinal exploration requires a sternal split or transthoracic approach.

Can parathyroid autotransplantation be reported with 60500?

When parathyroid tissue is autotransplanted during the operation, 60512 may be reported in addition to the primary procedure when supported by the operative documentation.

Should modifier 50 be used for bilateral gland exploration?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for 60500; report the documented cervical procedure without modifier 50.

What operative details support 60500?

Document the clinical indication, cervical approach, glands or areas explored, and whether abnormal tissue was removed. The note should also make clear whether the operation was an initial exploration or a re-exploration.

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 60500PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,714 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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