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Billing code 69728: Implant removalMedicare rate & RVUs

Removal of a transcutaneous osseointegrated skull implant when the documented extent is 100 square centimeters or greater.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $519.72 for 69728 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 69728

Implant removal

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
8.29
Total RVUs
15.56
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$519.72

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 69728 → · 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 69728 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 69728 covers

This code describes operative removal of a transcutaneous osseointegrated implant in the skull, commonly part of a bone-conduction hearing system with an implant beneath the skin and an external sound processor. An otolaryngologist, often a neurotologist, typically performs the procedure in an operating room when the implant must be removed. The code’s extent category is 100 square centimeters or greater; the operative report should identify the transcutaneous approach and document the extent supporting that category.

Report this code for removal, not initial placement or replacement, and distinguish it from percutaneous implant removal. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, payment is at 150%. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 69728 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

69728 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$476.88
Alaska*Unavailable$653.17
ArizonaUnavailable$507.62
ArkansasUnavailable$471.58
AtlantaUnavailable$531.91
AustinUnavailable$527.40
BakersfieldUnavailable$528.61
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$548.50
BeaumontUnavailable$498.63
BrazoriaUnavailable$511.22

69728 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
69728 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 69728 rate is calculated

Each of 69728’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 · 69728

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 8.29Practice expense 6.06Malpractice 1.21

15.5600 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$519.72

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 69728

69728 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 69728

Implant removal

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.07/0.79/0.14Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 69728

Implant removal

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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

69728 without 50 · national facility

$519.72

Implant removal

69728-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$779.58

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

69728 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

69728 vs 69727 vs 69726 vs 69730: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 69728
    Implant removal · 8.29 wRVU
    —
  • 69727
    Implant removal · 7.2 wRVU
    —
  • 69726
    Implant removal · 6.2 wRVU
    —
  • 69730
    Implant replacement · 9.99 wRVU
    —

How to choose

69727Implant removal
Both codes describe transcutaneous implant removal; the distinction is the documented extent, below 100 square centimeters for 69727 versus 100 square centimeters or greater here.
69726Implant removal
69726 is for removal by a percutaneous approach. This code is for transcutaneous removal in the 100-square-centimeter-or-greater extent category.
69730Implant replacement
69730 describes replacement of a transcutaneous implant in the 100-square-centimeter-or-greater category. Choose this code when the procedure is removal rather than replacement.

Codes related to 69728

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

Codes related to 69728
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
69727Implant removalTranscutaneous osseointegrated skull implant removal below 100 square centimeters.No office rate
69726Implant removalRemoval in the related percutaneous implant category.No office rate
Used instead
69730Implant replacementUse when the operative objective is replacement of a transcutaneous implant in this extent category.No office rate

69728 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 69727?

Both describe removal of a transcutaneous osseointegrated skull implant. Use 69728 for documented extent of 100 square centimeters or greater and 69727 for extent below 100 square centimeters.

When should 69726 be considered instead?

69726 describes removal by a percutaneous approach. This code is for transcutaneous implant removal with the documented extent at or above the 100-square-centimeter threshold.

Is removal included when a new implant is placed?

This code represents removal, while placement or replacement has its own code. The operative report should make clear whether the service was removal alone or replacement of an existing implant.

What documentation supports reporting 69728?

Document the transcutaneous approach, that the procedure removed an osseointegrated skull implant, and the extent supporting the 100-square-centimeter-or-greater category.

How does Medicare handle bilateral reporting and multiple procedures?

A bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. In a session with multiple procedures, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 69728PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,658 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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