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CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01

20615 in Austin

Office / nonfacility

$258.29

Base rate per service

Facility setting

$146.98

Base rate per service

Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.

Musculoskeletal procedure

About 20615: Aspiration and injection of bone cyst

Report this service when a clinician aspirates and injects a bone cyst as treatment, rather than draining a joint, bursa, or soft-tissue ganglion.

This procedure treats a cystic lesion within bone by needle aspiration followed by injection. Orthopedic surgeons commonly perform it for a diagnosed bone cyst in an outpatient procedure room or hospital setting; the target is the bone lesion, not fluid in a joint or bursa. The operative or procedure note should identify the bone and lesion treated and document the aspiration and therapeutic injection.

Select the code for the bone-cyst treatment performed, not simply because fluid was withdrawn near a joint. Related postoperative visits are included for 10 days. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the others to 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery reporting are not permitted.

CMS billing rules for 20615

Global period
Minor procedure with a 10-day global period: related postoperative visits for 10 days are included.
Multiple procedures
Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
Bilateral procedures
Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
Assistant at surgery
Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
Co-surgeons
Co-surgeons not permitted.
Team surgery
Team surgery not permitted.

Where the value comes from

  • Work RVU2.27 · 30%
  • Practice expense (office) RVU4.95 · 66%
  • Malpractice RVU0.25 · 3%

158

Medicare services in 2024 · #4518 by national volume

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.

20615 compared with similar codes

Office rates for Austin, from the same CMS release.

20612

Ganglion treatment

Aspiration and/or injection

$69.95

20612 addresses a ganglion cyst in soft tissue. Choose 20615 when the lesion being treated is a bone cyst.

20610

Joint injection

Major joint or bursa, no ultrasound

$70.61

20610 is for aspiration or injection of a major joint or bursa. It does not describe treatment of a cystic lesion within bone.

20611

Joint aspiration/injection

Ultrasound-guided major joint or bursa

$107.45

20611 applies to ultrasound-guided aspiration or injection of a major joint or bursa; 20615 is selected for bone-cyst treatment.

The same code, a different location

How does Austin compare?

In Beaumont, the office rate for 20615 is $234.03—$24.26 lower than the $258.29 rate in Austin. Both use the same code, release and participation basis.

20615 across payment areas

Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0

  1. Austin · This locality

    $258.29

  2. Beaumont

    $234.03

    $24.26 lower than Austin

  3. Brazoria

    $246.79

    $11.50 lower than Austin

  4. Dallas

    $248.34

    $9.95 lower than Austin

  5. Fort Worth

    $246.80

    $11.49 lower than Austin

  6. Galveston

    $247.52

    $10.77 lower than Austin

  7. Houston

    $252.09

    $6.20 lower than Austin

Other payment areas listed in Texas appear first, followed by selected cross-country examples. The chart compares amounts, not distance.

Across 109 of 109 CMS payment localities with a supported office rate, 20615 ranges from $222.14 in Arkansas to $327.05 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty). This is a geographic range, not an average.

The code’s RVUs stay the same in these comparisons. Geographic adjustments to work, practice expense and malpractice change the dollar amount. A city name alone may not identify the payment area for a service address.

Compare all 108 other payment areas

  • Rest Of Texas

    Texas · 20615

    Office

    $240.26

    Facility

    $140.42

    $18.03 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty)

    California · 20615

    Office

    $280.06

    Facility

    $155.60

    $21.77 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Dc + Md/Va Suburbs

    District of Columbia · 20615

    Office

    $283.97

    Facility

    $160.03

    $25.68 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Miami

    Florida · 20615

    Office

    $269.05

    Facility

    $159.52

    $10.76 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Chicago

    Illinois · 20615

    Office

    $261.68

    Facility

    $155.94

    $3.39 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Manhattan

    New York · 20615

    Office

    $286.03

    Facility

    $163.78

    $27.74 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Alaska*

    Alaska · 20615

    Office

    $294.41

    Facility

    $182.36

    $36.12 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Alabama

    Alabama · 20615

    Office

    $225.21

    Facility

    $133.15

    $33.08 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Arkansas

    Arkansas · 20615

    Office

    $222.14

    Facility

    $131.76

    $36.15 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Arizona

    Arizona · 20615

    Office

    $243.18

    Facility

    $141.23

    $15.11 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Bakersfield

    California · 20615

    Office

    $263.55

    Facility

    $148.24

    $5.26 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Chico

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • El Centro

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.83

    Facility

    $147.52

    $4.54 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Fresno

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Hanford-Corcoran

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Madera

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Merced

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Modesto

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Napa

    California · 20615

    Office

    $302.75

    Facility

    $164.08

    $44.46 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura

    California · 20615

    Office

    $278.57

    Facility

    $154.21

    $20.28 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Redding

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of California

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

    California · 20615

    Office

    $265.51

    Facility

    $150.20

    $7.22 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom

    California · 20615

    Office

    $275.31

    Facility

    $152.95

    $17.02 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Salinas

    California · 20615

    Office

    $274.27

    Facility

    $152.33

    $15.98 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad

    California · 20615

    Office

    $280.36

    Facility

    $154.53

    $22.07 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)

    California · 20615

    Office

    $319.98

    Facility

    $171.63

    $61.69 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)

    California · 20615

    Office

    $319.69

    Facility

    $171.34

    $61.40 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)

    California · 20615

    Office

    $327.05

    Facility

    $175.33

    $68.76 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)

    California · 20615

    Office

    $325.89

    Facility

    $174.17

    $67.60 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

    California · 20615

    Office

    $269.90

    Facility

    $150.06

    $11.61 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Santa Cruz-Watsonville

    California · 20615

    Office

    $282.77

    Facility

    $154.94

    $24.48 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

    California · 20615

    Office

    $275.20

    Facility

    $152.52

    $16.91 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Santa Rosa-Petaluma

    California · 20615

    Office

    $285.60

    Facility

    $156.40

    $27.31 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Stockton

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Vallejo

    California · 20615

    Office

    $302.34

    Facility

    $163.67

    $44.05 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Visalia

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Yuba City

    California · 20615

    Office

    $262.79

    Facility

    $147.48

    $4.50 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Colorado

    Colorado · 20615

    Office

    $259.17

    Facility

    $147.22

    $0.88 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Connecticut

    Connecticut · 20615

    Office

    $265.51

    Facility

    $152.19

    $7.22 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Delaware

    Delaware · 20615

    Office

    $247.06

    Facility

    $143.11

    $11.23 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Fort Lauderdale

    Florida · 20615

    Office

    $258.40

    Facility

    $151.82

    $0.11 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Florida

    Florida · 20615

    Office

    $246.43

    Facility

    $145.85

    $11.86 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Atlanta

    Georgia · 20615

    Office

    $254.06

    Facility

    $147.16

    $4.23 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Georgia

    Georgia · 20615

    Office

    $233.25

    Facility

    $139.40

    $25.04 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Hawaii, Guam

    Hawaii · 20615

    Office

    $268.64

    Facility

    $149.01

    $10.35 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Iowa

    Iowa · 20615

    Office

    $230.42

    Facility

    $134.15

    $27.87 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Idaho

    Idaho · 20615

    Office

    $231.88

    Facility

    $135.08

    $26.41 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • East St. Louis

    Illinois · 20615

    Office

    $244.75

    Facility

    $147.95

    $13.54 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Illinois

    Illinois · 20615

    Office

    $239.82

    Facility

    $143.76

    $18.47 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Suburban Chicago

    Illinois · 20615

    Office

    $260.95

    Facility

    $152.89

    $2.66 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Indiana

    Indiana · 20615

    Office

    $233.14

    Facility

    $135.61

    $25.15 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Kansas

    Kansas · 20615

    Office

    $229.49

    Facility

    $134.38

    $28.80 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Kentucky

    Kentucky · 20615

    Office

    $230.44

    Facility

    $136.91

    $27.85 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • New Orleans

    Louisiana · 20615

    Office

    $240.89

    Facility

    $141.88

    $17.40 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Louisiana

    Louisiana · 20615

    Office

    $230.14

    Facility

    $137.03

    $28.15 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Boston

    Massachusetts · 20615

    Office

    $283.77

    Facility

    $158.15

    $25.48 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Massachusetts

    Massachusetts · 20615

    Office

    $257.79

    Facility

    $147.00

    $0.50 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Baltimore/Surr. Cntys

    Maryland · 20615

    Office

    $264.77

    Facility

    $151.87

    $6.48 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maryland

    Maryland · 20615

    Office

    $251.56

    Facility

    $145.09

    $6.73 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maine

    Maine · 20615

    Office

    $233.12

    Facility

    $136.33

    $25.17 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Southern Maine

    Maine · 20615

    Office

    $244.94

    Facility

    $140.67

    $13.35 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Detroit

    Michigan · 20615

    Office

    $249.45

    Facility

    $147.92

    $8.84 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Michigan

    Michigan · 20615

    Office

    $236.20

    Facility

    $140.14

    $22.09 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Minnesota

    Minnesota · 20615

    Office

    $248.42

    Facility

    $140.16

    $9.87 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Kansas City

    Missouri · 20615

    Office

    $239.23

    Facility

    $140.43

    $19.06 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan St. Louis

    Missouri · 20615

    Office

    $241.59

    Facility

    $141.42

    $16.70 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Missouri

    Missouri · 20615

    Office

    $226.47

    Facility

    $135.78

    $31.82 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi · 20615

    Office

    $224.34

    Facility

    $133.76

    $33.95 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Montana**

    Montana · 20615

    Office

    $249.49

    Facility

    $144.28

    $8.80 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • North Carolina

    North Carolina · 20615

    Office

    $235.41

    Facility

    $137.25

    $22.88 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • North Dakota**

    North Dakota · 20615

    Office

    $244.54

    Facility

    $139.33

    $13.75 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Nebraska

    Nebraska · 20615

    Office

    $231.58

    Facility

    $134.47

    $26.71 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • New Hampshire

    New Hampshire · 20615

    Office

    $255.24

    Facility

    $145.71

    $3.05 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Northern Nj

    New Jersey · 20615

    Office

    $281.30

    Facility

    $159.26

    $23.01 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New Jersey

    New Jersey · 20615

    Office

    $268.56

    Facility

    $153.67

    $10.27 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • New Mexico

    New Mexico · 20615

    Office

    $237.46

    Facility

    $140.98

    $20.83 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Nevada**

    Nevada · 20615

    Office

    $248.28

    Facility

    $142.96

    $10.01 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Nyc Suburbs/Long Island

    New York · 20615

    Office

    $292.76

    Facility

    $167.66

    $34.47 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs

    New York · 20615

    Office

    $270.38

    Facility

    $155.17

    $12.09 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Queens

    New York · 20615

    Office

    $288.14

    Facility

    $163.78

    $29.85 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New York

    New York · 20615

    Office

    $238.76

    Facility

    $138.81

    $19.53 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Ohio

    Ohio · 20615

    Office

    $235.19

    Facility

    $139.13

    $23.10 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Oklahoma

    Oklahoma · 20615

    Office

    $229.95

    Facility

    $136.00

    $28.34 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Portland

    Oregon · 20615

    Office

    $266.93

    Facility

    $150.04

    $8.64 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Oregon

    Oregon · 20615

    Office

    $246.36

    Facility

    $141.57

    $11.93 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Philadelphia

    Pennsylvania · 20615

    Office

    $259.26

    Facility

    $149.73

    $0.97 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania · 20615

    Office

    $235.49

    Facility

    $138.90

    $22.80 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rico · 20615

    Office

    $251.20

    Facility

    $144.83

    $7.09 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rhode Island

    Rhode Island · 20615

    Office

    $255.50

    Facility

    $146.81

    $2.79 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • South Carolina

    South Carolina · 20615

    Office

    $235.69

    Facility

    $138.47

    $22.60 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • South Dakota**

    South Dakota · 20615

    Office

    $243.96

    Facility

    $138.75

    $14.33 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Tennessee

    Tennessee · 20615

    Office

    $230.59

    Facility

    $134.95

    $27.70 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Utah

    Utah · 20615

    Office

    $238.73

    Facility

    $139.83

    $19.56 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Virginia

    Virginia · 20615

    Office

    $244.24

    Facility

    $140.81

    $14.05 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Virgin Islands

    United States Virgin Islands · 20615

    Office

    $251.20

    Facility

    $144.83

    $7.09 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Vermont

    Vermont · 20615

    Office

    $243.73

    Facility

    $139.57

    $14.56 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Washington

    Washington · 20615

    Office

    $257.26

    Facility

    $146.47

    $1.03 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Seattle (King Cnty)

    Washington · 20615

    Office

    $289.30

    Facility

    $160.20

    $31.01 higher than Austin for the office setting.

  • Wisconsin

    Wisconsin · 20615

    Office

    $236.78

    Facility

    $135.99

    $21.51 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • West Virginia

    West Virginia · 20615

    Office

    $231.44

    Facility

    $140.01

    $26.85 lower than Austin for the office setting.

  • Wyoming**

    Wyoming · 20615

    Office

    $247.33

    Facility

    $142.12

    $10.96 lower than Austin for the office setting.

See how rates vary across the country

20615 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$222.14

$294.92

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View all state and territory rates as a table
State / territoryRate rangeLocalities
AK$294.411
AL$225.211
AR$222.141
AZ$243.181
CA$262.79–$327.0529
CO$259.171
CT$265.511
DC$283.971
DE$247.061
FL$246.43–$269.053
GA$233.25–$254.062
GU$268.641
HI$268.641
IA$230.421
ID$231.881
IL$239.82–$261.684
IN$233.141
KS$229.491
KY$230.441
LA$230.14–$240.892
MA$257.79–$283.772
MD$251.56–$283.973
ME$233.12–$244.942
MI$236.20–$249.452
MN$248.421
MO$226.47–$241.593
MS$224.341
MT$249.491
NC$235.411
ND$244.541
NE$231.581
NH$255.241
NJ$268.56–$281.302
NM$237.461
NV$248.281
NY$238.76–$292.765
OH$235.191
OK$229.951
OR$246.36–$266.932
PA$235.49–$259.262
PR$251.201
RI$255.501
SC$235.691
SD$243.961
TN$230.591
TX$234.03–$258.298
UT$238.731
VA$244.24–$283.972
VI$251.201
VT$243.731
WA$257.26–$289.302
WI$236.781
WV$231.441
WY$247.331

Explore 20615 on the national rate map →

Where does this rate apply?

Austin is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 31 cities and communities in Texas, including the examples shown here.

Some communities span more than one payment area. Follow a city link to compare all of its mapped areas, or check the service-location ZIP above for an address-level starting point.

Browse all communities in Texas →

Why are the office and facility amounts different?

For 20615 in Austin, the physician’s office rate is $258.29 and the facility-setting rate is $146.98: a difference of $111.31.

The calculation uses a different practice-expense RVU for each setting. Both amounts here are physician fee-schedule amounts. The facility figure does not include a hospital’s separate charges, so this comparison does not tell you the total cost of receiving care in each setting.

See the inputs behind this difference →

Use this rate

What is a percentage of Medicare worth?

Turn a percentage into dollars for 20615 in Austin. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.

Reference amount per service

$284.12

$258.29 × 110% = $284.12

A contract may specify another Medicare year or additional adjustments. This is percentage arithmetic on the displayed base rate, not a claim adjudication.

Working with a whole code list?

Compare an offer across your annual code mix, including an older Medicare schedule or flat per-code rates.

Compare your contract offer →

How this local rate is calculated

Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 20615 in Austin.

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

1,774

Code
20615
Physician work
2.27
Practice expense
4.95
Malpractice
0.25

GPCI2026.csv

96

Locality
Austin
Physician work
1.002
Practice expense
1.058
Malpractice
0.886
Office / nonfacility calculation for 20615 in Austin
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work2.27× 1.0022.2745
Practice expense4.95× 1.0585.2371
Malpractice0.25× 0.8860.2215
Total RVUs7.7331
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office / nonfacility rate, Austin$258.29

Values as parsed from CMS release RVU26D, effective 2026-10-01. The amount is rounded to the nearest cent only at the end.

Open 20615 in the RVU calculator →

Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula

Office / nonfacility

Office / nonfacility calculation inputs
ComponentRVULocal GPCI
Work2.271.002
Practice expense4.951.058
Malpractice0.250.886

(2.27 × 1.002 + 4.95 × 1.058 + 0.25 × 0.886) × $33.4009 = $258.29

Facility

Facility calculation inputs
ComponentRVULocal GPCI
Work2.271.002
Practice expense1.81.058
Malpractice0.250.886

(2.27 × 1.002 + 1.8 × 1.058 + 0.25 × 0.886) × $33.4009 = $146.98

The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.

How this rate has changed

20615 · Office / nonfacility

$258.29

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $10.59 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $247.70 to $258.29 (4.3%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $247.70changed to$258.29

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 2.33 changed to 2.27
    • Practice expense RVU 4.84 changed to 4.95
    • Malpractice RVU 0.29 changed to 0.25
    • Work GPCI 1.000 changed to 1.002
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.046 changed to 1.058
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.914 changed to 0.886

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    Earliest loaded release: $247.70

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

Explore release dates and calculate this code in an earlier period →

Each row uses the accepted CMS release effective on that date and the same contractor and locality identifiers. Missing rates stay visible. Historical boundaries may differ; verify the service address for an older claim.

Inspect every release and its CMS source
Effective fromOffice / nonfacilityFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$258.29$146.98RVU26D
2026-07-01$258.29$146.98RVU26C
2026-04-01$258.29$146.98RVU26B
2026-01-01$258.29$146.98RVU26A
2025-10-01$247.70$159.05RVU25D
2025-07-01$247.70$159.05RVU25C
2025-04-01$247.70$159.05RVU25B
2025-01-01$247.70$159.05RVU25A

20615 billing questions

How is this different from a joint aspiration code?

Use 20615 when the treated target is a cystic lesion in bone. Joint and bursa aspiration or injection codes apply when the target is the joint or bursa.

How is this different from aspiration of a ganglion cyst?

20615 treats a bone cyst. Code 20612 applies to aspiration or injection of a ganglion cyst, which is a soft-tissue lesion.

Are related postoperative visits included?

Yes. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, which includes related postoperative visits during that period.

Can modifier 50 be used for treatment on both sides?

No. The descriptor or anatomy makes bilateral adjustment inappropriate for 20615.

How does CMS pay when other procedures are performed in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedures are reduced to 50%. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery or permit co-surgeon or team-surgery reporting for 20615.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.

Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.

RVUs for 20615PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,774 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for AustinGPCI2026.csv, line 96 (RVU26D)
Open CMS sourceHow this rate is calculatedBuild a fee sheet