Billing code 65273: Eye wound repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $320.98 for 65273 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 65273 covers

This code describes surgical repair of a conjunctival laceration when the surgeon advances or removes conjunctival tissue to close the wound. It may be used for a conjunctival injury accompanied by a nonperforating scleral laceration. An ophthalmologist typically performs the repair in an operating room or other surgical setting, often after eye trauma. The operative report should identify the injured tissue and explain the advancement or resection performed.

Select this code based on the repair method and the structures involved, rather than wound size alone. Document whether the sclera is lacerated and whether the injury is nonperforating; a penetrating corneal or scleral wound belongs to a different repair category. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 identifies bilateral services, paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 65273 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

65273 rates by state

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

How the 65273 rate is calculated

Each of 65273’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 65273

65273 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 50

65273 compared with similar codes

How to choose

65270Eye wound repair

Choose 65273 when conjunctival advancement or resection is part of the repair. Code 65270 describes the related conjunctival repair without that distinction.

65272Corneal wound repair

Code 65272 is distinguished by repositioning or resection of uveal tissue; 65273 is identified by conjunctival advancement or resection.

65275Corneal wound repair

Code 65275 is for a nonperforating corneal laceration. Use 65273 for the conjunctival repair involving advancement or resection.

65280Eye wound repair

Code 65280 addresses a perforating corneal or scleral wound. The 65273 repair is associated with conjunctival tissue and a nonperforating scleral injury.

Codes related to 65273

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