No office rate
Use 44900 for open drainage of the appendiceal abscess; use 44960 when the operation includes appendectomy for rupture with abscess or generalized peritonitis.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
44900 in El Centro
Office / nonfacility
Not available in this setting
Base rate per service
Facility setting
$722.28
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.
General surgery
About 44900: Open drainage of appendiceal abscess
Report open incision and drainage when a surgeon treats a contained abscess arising from appendicitis without describing appendectomy as the procedure performed.
This code describes an operation to open and drain an abscess associated with the appendix through an open approach. A general surgeon typically performs it in a hospital operating room when appendicitis has led to a localized collection and the operative plan is drainage rather than removal of the appendix. The operative report should identify the appendiceal abscess and document the open drainage performed.
Report the code when the documented operation matches open drainage; do not select it for appendectomy alone. It has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for the single appendix. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 44900
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care 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
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU12.26 · 55%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.74 · 30%
- Malpractice RVU3.27 · 15%
26
Medicare services in 2024 · #5759 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.
44900 compared with similar codes
Office rates for El Centro, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
44950 describes appendectomy, while 44900 describes open drainage of an appendiceal abscess. Base selection on the operative service documented.
No office rate
44970 describes laparoscopic appendectomy. It is not the open abscess-drainage service represented by 44900.
The same code, a different location
How does El Centro compare?
44900 across payment areas
Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0
El Centro · This locality
Unavailable
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Other payment areas listed in California appear first, followed by selected cross-country examples. The chart compares amounts, not distance.
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
Merced
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Modesto
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Napa
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$787.49
No comparable office rate is available.
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$755.10
No comparable office rate is available.
Redding
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of California
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$756.77
No comparable office rate is available.
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$744.60
No comparable office rate is available.
Salinas
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$741.65
No comparable office rate is available.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$750.22
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$815.95
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$812.24
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$837.71
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$822.53
No comparable office rate is available.
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.41
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$750.16
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$742.00
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$756.77
No comparable office rate is available.
Stockton
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Vallejo
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$782.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Visalia
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Yuba City
California · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs
District of Columbia · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$818.36
No comparable office rate is available.
Miami
Florida · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$920.07
No comparable office rate is available.
Chicago
Illinois · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$889.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Manhattan
New York · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$870.52
No comparable office rate is available.
Alaska*
Alaska · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$914.18
No comparable office rate is available.
Alabama
Alabama · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$668.30
No comparable office rate is available.
Arkansas
Arkansas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$659.12
No comparable office rate is available.
Arizona
Arizona · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.13
No comparable office rate is available.
Colorado
Colorado · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$739.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Connecticut
Connecticut · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$792.30
No comparable office rate is available.
Delaware
Delaware · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$732.15
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Lauderdale
Florida · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$835.02
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Florida
Florida · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$788.87
No comparable office rate is available.
Atlanta
Georgia · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$770.62
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Georgia
Georgia · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$740.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Hawaii, Guam
Hawaii · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$728.70
No comparable office rate is available.
Iowa
Iowa · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$658.84
No comparable office rate is available.
Idaho
Idaho · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$668.27
No comparable office rate is available.
East St. Louis
Illinois · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$836.58
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Illinois
Illinois · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$785.74
No comparable office rate is available.
Suburban Chicago
Illinois · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$837.10
No comparable office rate is available.
Indiana
Indiana · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$671.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Kansas
Kansas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$668.05
No comparable office rate is available.
Kentucky
Kentucky · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$709.57
No comparable office rate is available.
New Orleans
Louisiana · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$745.41
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Louisiana
Louisiana · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$713.36
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Boston
Massachusetts · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$792.29
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Massachusetts
Massachusetts · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$740.15
No comparable office rate is available.
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys
Maryland · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$792.71
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maryland
Maryland · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$741.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maine
Maine · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$684.54
No comparable office rate is available.
Southern Maine
Maine · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$701.51
No comparable office rate is available.
Detroit
Michigan · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$810.88
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Michigan
Michigan · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$738.34
No comparable office rate is available.
Minnesota
Minnesota · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$673.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Kansas City
Missouri · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$727.59
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan St. Louis
Missouri · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$733.25
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Missouri
Missouri · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$709.93
No comparable office rate is available.
Mississippi
Mississippi · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$684.04
No comparable office rate is available.
Montana**
Montana · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$743.62
No comparable office rate is available.
North Carolina
North Carolina · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$689.33
No comparable office rate is available.
North Dakota**
North Dakota · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$678.96
No comparable office rate is available.
Nebraska
Nebraska · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$658.57
No comparable office rate is available.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$739.42
No comparable office rate is available.
Northern Nj
New Jersey · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$813.08
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New Jersey
New Jersey · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$791.52
No comparable office rate is available.
New Mexico
New Mexico · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$747.11
No comparable office rate is available.
Nevada**
Nevada · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$725.82
No comparable office rate is available.
Nyc Suburbs/Long Island
New York · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$906.20
No comparable office rate is available.
Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs
New York · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$806.59
No comparable office rate is available.
Queens
New York · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$859.29
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New York
New York · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Ohio
Ohio · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$725.13
No comparable office rate is available.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$695.39
No comparable office rate is available.
Portland
Oregon · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$747.42
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Oregon
Oregon · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$710.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Philadelphia
Pennsylvania · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$781.52
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$719.37
No comparable office rate is available.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$744.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$747.25
No comparable office rate is available.
South Carolina
South Carolina · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$710.35
No comparable office rate is available.
South Dakota**
South Dakota · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$671.32
No comparable office rate is available.
Tennessee
Tennessee · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.78
No comparable office rate is available.
Austin
Texas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$745.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Beaumont
Texas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$715.82
No comparable office rate is available.
Brazoria
Texas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.06
No comparable office rate is available.
Dallas
Texas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.11
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Worth
Texas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$730.28
No comparable office rate is available.
Galveston
Texas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$726.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Houston
Texas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$786.61
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Texas
Texas · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.76
No comparable office rate is available.
Utah
Utah · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$719.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Virginia
Virginia · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$707.90
No comparable office rate is available.
Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$744.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Vermont
Vermont · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$687.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Washington
Washington · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$734.99
No comparable office rate is available.
Seattle (King Cnty)
Washington · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$795.43
No comparable office rate is available.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$658.80
No comparable office rate is available.
West Virginia
West Virginia · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$761.42
No comparable office rate is available.
Wyoming**
Wyoming · 44900
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$715.44
No comparable office rate is available.
See how rates vary across the country
44900 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
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.
View all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
Where does this rate apply?
El Centro is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 18 cities and communities in California, 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.
Use this rate
What is a percentage of Medicare worth?
Turn a percentage into dollars for 44900 in El Centro. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.
Reference amount per service
$794.51
$722.28 × 110% = $794.51
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.
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 44900 in El Centro.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
5,453
- Code
- 44900
- Physician work
- 12.26
- Practice expense
- 6.74
- Malpractice
- 3.27
GPCI2026.csv
10
- Locality
- El Centro
- Physician work
- 1.017
- Practice expense
- 1.096
- Malpractice
- 0.541
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 12.26 | × 1.017 | 12.4684 |
| Practice expense | 6.74 | × 1.096 | 7.3870 |
| Malpractice | 3.27 | × 0.541 | 1.7691 |
| Total RVUs | 21.6245 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, El Centro$722.28
Open 44900 in the RVU calculator →
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 12.26 | 1.017 |
| Practice expense | 6.74 | 1.096 |
| Malpractice | 3.27 | 0.541 |
(12.26 × 1.017 + 6.74 × 1.096 + 3.27 × 0.541) × $33.4009 = $722.28
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
44900 · Office / nonfacility
Rate unavailable
Effective 2026-10-01
A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.
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
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 from | Office / nonfacility | Facility | CMS release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $722.28 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $722.28 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $722.28 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $722.28 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $753.07 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $753.07 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $753.07 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $753.07 | RVU25A |
44900 billing questions
How does 44900 differ from 44960?
44900 describes open drainage of an appendiceal abscess. Choose 44960 when the operative service includes appendectomy for a ruptured appendix with abscess or generalized peritonitis.
What documentation supports 44900?
The operative report should identify the appendiceal abscess, state that the surgeon used an open approach, and describe the incision and drainage performed.
Can 44900 be reported with an appendectomy code?
Do not use 44900 as a substitute for the appendectomy code when the appendix is removed. The operative report must support the procedure or procedures actually performed; same-session procedures are subject to the multiple-procedure payment rule.
Can modifier 50 be used for 44900?
No. The operation concerns the single appendix, so modifier 50 is not appropriate.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is 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 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.
5,45044820,,Excision of mesentery lesion,A,,13.39,7.23,NA,7.23,,3.58,24.20,24.20,0,090,0.09,0.81,0.10,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,45144850,,Repair of mesentery,A,,11.81,6.52,NA,6.52,,2.91,21.24,21.24,0,090,0.09,0.81,0.10,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,45244899,,Unlisted px meckel's dvrtclm,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,YYY,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,2,1,1,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,45344900,,I&d appendix abscess open,A,,12.26,6.74,NA,6.74,,3.27,22.27,22.27,0,090,0.09,0.81,0.10,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,45444950,,Appendectomy,A,,10.34,5.18,NA,5.18,,2.61,18.13,18.13,0,090,0.09,0.81,0.10,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,45544955,,Appendectomy add-on,A,,1.49,0.39,NA,0.39,,0.36,2.24,2.24,0,ZZZ,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,45644960,,Appendectomy,A,,14.14,6.88,NA,6.88,,3.68,24.70,24.70,0,090,0.09,0.81,0.10,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
707102,AR,13,ARKANSAS,1.000,0.859,0.515
801112,CA,54,BAKERSFIELD,1.019,1.096,0.609
901112,CA,55,CHICO,1.017,1.096,0.536
1001182,CA,71,EL CENTRO,1.017,1.096,0.541
1101112,CA,56,FRESNO,1.017,1.096,0.536
1201112,CA,57,HANFORD-CORCORAN,1.017,1.096,0.536
1301182,CA,18,LOS ANGELES-LONG BEACH-ANAHEIM (LOS ANGELES/ORANGE CNTY),1.041,1.183,0.664