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CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01

17004 in Merced

Office / nonfacility

$171.94

Base rate per service

Facility setting

$84.82

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.

Dermatology procedure

About 17004: Destruction of 15 or more premalignant skin lesions

Destruction of 15 or more premalignant skin lesions, most often actinic keratoses, at one session, reported as a single unit instead of 17000 and 17003.

This service covers destroying 15 or more premalignant skin lesions in one session. A typical case involves numerous actinic keratoses on the face, scalp, ears, forearms, or hands. Dermatologists, primary care physicians, and advanced practice clinicians perform it, most often in the office. Liquid nitrogen cryosurgery is the usual method. Curettement, electrosurgery, chemical destruction, and laser are also methods of destruction. Count the premalignant lesions treated during the session, regardless of their locations.

When 15 or more lesions are treated, report one unit of 17004, not 17000 or 17003. For fewer lesions, report 17000 for the first and one unit of 17003 for each additional lesion through the fourteenth. Documentation should state the count, anatomic locations, diagnosis, and destruction method. The procedure has a 10-day global period, which includes related postoperative visits during those 10 days. Modifier 50 is inappropriate even when lesions are treated on both sides of the body. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

CMS billing rules for 17004

Global period
Minor procedure with a 10-day global period: related postoperative visits for 10 days are included.
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 RVU1.34 · 28%
  • Practice expense (office) RVU3.39 · 70%
  • Malpractice RVU0.13 · 3%

852.8K

Medicare services in 2024 · #159 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.

17004 compared with similar codes

Office rates for Merced, from the same CMS release.

17000

Premalignant lesion destruction

First lesion

$70.17

Use 17000, adding 17003 for lesions two through fourteen, when fewer than 15 premalignant lesions are destroyed. Use 17004 alone when the count reaches 15.

17003

Actinic keratosis destruction

Lesions 2-14, each additional

$6.85

17003 is reported per additional lesion for lesions two through fourteen, with 17000. At 15 or more lesions, report one unit of 17004 instead.

17110

Benign lesion destruction

Up to 14 lesions

$118.80

17110 covers benign lesions such as common warts and molluscum. Actinic keratoses and other premalignant lesions belong in the 17000–17004 series.

17260

Skin lesion destruction

Trunk, arms, legs, 0.5 cm or less

$102.18

The 17260 series covers destruction of malignant lesions and is selected by lesion diameter and anatomic site. Code 17004 covers premalignant lesions and is selected by count, not size.

The same code, a different location

How does Merced compare?

In Bakersfield, the office rate for 17004 is $172.35—$0.41 higher than the $171.94 rate in Merced. Both use the same code, release and participation basis.

17004 across payment areas

Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0

  1. Merced · This locality

    $171.94

  2. Bakersfield

    $172.35

    $0.41 higher than Merced

  3. Chico

    $171.94

    The same base rate than Merced

  4. El Centro

    $171.97

    $0.03 higher than Merced

  5. Fresno

    $171.94

    The same base rate than Merced

  6. Hanford-Corcoran

    $171.94

    The same base rate than Merced

  7. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty)

    $183.43

    $11.49 higher than Merced

Other payment areas listed in California 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, 17004 ranges from $144.26 in Arkansas to $215.28 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

  • Madera

    California · 17004

    Office

    $171.94

    Facility

    $84.82

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Modesto

    California · 17004

    Office

    $171.94

    Facility

    $84.82

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Napa

    California · 17004

    Office

    $199.02

    Facility

    $94.25

    $27.08 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura

    California · 17004

    Office

    $182.55

    Facility

    $88.59

    $10.61 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Redding

    California · 17004

    Office

    $171.94

    Facility

    $84.82

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of California

    California · 17004

    Office

    $171.94

    Facility

    $84.82

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

    California · 17004

    Office

    $173.37

    Facility

    $86.24

    $1.43 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom

    California · 17004

    Office

    $180.38

    Facility

    $87.93

    $8.44 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Salinas

    California · 17004

    Office

    $179.70

    Facility

    $87.57

    $7.76 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad

    California · 17004

    Office

    $183.88

    Facility

    $88.80

    $11.94 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)

    California · 17004

    Office

    $210.66

    Facility

    $98.57

    $38.72 higher than Merced for the office setting.

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

    California · 17004

    Office

    $210.51

    Facility

    $98.42

    $38.57 higher than Merced for the office setting.

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

    California · 17004

    Office

    $215.28

    Facility

    $100.65

    $43.34 higher than Merced for the office setting.

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

    California · 17004

    Office

    $214.68

    Facility

    $100.05

    $42.74 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

    California · 17004

    Office

    $176.81

    Facility

    $86.27

    $4.87 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Santa Cruz-Watsonville

    California · 17004

    Office

    $185.60

    Facility

    $89.01

    $13.66 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

    California · 17004

    Office

    $180.36

    Facility

    $87.67

    $8.42 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Santa Rosa-Petaluma

    California · 17004

    Office

    $187.47

    Facility

    $89.85

    $15.53 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Stockton

    California · 17004

    Office

    $171.94

    Facility

    $84.82

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Vallejo

    California · 17004

    Office

    $198.81

    Facility

    $94.03

    $26.87 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Visalia

    California · 17004

    Office

    $171.94

    Facility

    $84.82

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Yuba City

    California · 17004

    Office

    $171.94

    Facility

    $84.82

    The same base rate than Merced for the office setting.

  • Dc + Md/Va Suburbs

    District of Columbia · 17004

    Office

    $185.39

    Facility

    $91.75

    $13.45 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Miami

    Florida · 17004

    Office

    $173.61

    Facility

    $90.86

    $1.67 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Chicago

    Illinois · 17004

    Office

    $168.83

    Facility

    $88.94

    $3.11 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Manhattan

    New York · 17004

    Office

    $186.08

    Facility

    $93.71

    $14.14 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Alaska*

    Alaska · 17004

    Office

    $190.12

    Facility

    $105.46

    $18.18 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Alabama

    Alabama · 17004

    Office

    $146.29

    Facility

    $76.73

    $25.65 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Arkansas

    Arkansas · 17004

    Office

    $144.26

    Facility

    $75.97

    $27.68 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Arizona

    Arizona · 17004

    Office

    $158.19

    Facility

    $81.16

    $13.75 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Colorado

    Colorado · 17004

    Office

    $169.16

    Facility

    $84.58

    $2.78 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Connecticut

    Connecticut · 17004

    Office

    $172.85

    Facility

    $87.24

    $0.91 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Delaware

    Delaware · 17004

    Office

    $160.75

    Facility

    $82.21

    $11.19 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Fort Lauderdale

    Florida · 17004

    Office

    $167.31

    Facility

    $86.78

    $4.63 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Florida

    Florida · 17004

    Office

    $159.53

    Facility

    $83.53

    $12.41 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Atlanta

    Georgia · 17004

    Office

    $165.15

    Facility

    $84.38

    $6.79 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Georgia

    Georgia · 17004

    Office

    $150.93

    Facility

    $80.02

    $21.01 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Hawaii, Guam

    Hawaii · 17004

    Office

    $176.01

    Facility

    $85.63

    $4.07 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Iowa

    Iowa · 17004

    Office

    $150.09

    Facility

    $77.35

    $21.85 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Idaho

    Idaho · 17004

    Office

    $150.98

    Facility

    $77.85

    $20.96 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • East St. Louis

    Illinois · 17004

    Office

    $157.67

    Facility

    $84.54

    $14.27 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Illinois

    Illinois · 17004

    Office

    $154.92

    Facility

    $82.34

    $17.02 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Suburban Chicago

    Illinois · 17004

    Office

    $169.05

    Facility

    $87.41

    $2.89 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Indiana

    Indiana · 17004

    Office

    $151.83

    Facility

    $78.14

    $20.11 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Kansas

    Kansas · 17004

    Office

    $149.30

    Facility

    $77.44

    $22.64 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Kentucky

    Kentucky · 17004

    Office

    $149.39

    Facility

    $78.72

    $22.55 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • New Orleans

    Louisiana · 17004

    Office

    $156.24

    Facility

    $81.43

    $15.70 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Louisiana

    Louisiana · 17004

    Office

    $149.12

    Facility

    $78.77

    $22.82 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Boston

    Massachusetts · 17004

    Office

    $185.65

    Facility

    $90.74

    $13.71 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Massachusetts

    Massachusetts · 17004

    Office

    $168.16

    Facility

    $84.46

    $3.78 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Baltimore/Surr. Cntys

    Maryland · 17004

    Office

    $172.34

    Facility

    $87.04

    $0.40 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maryland

    Maryland · 17004

    Office

    $163.78

    Facility

    $83.33

    $8.16 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Maine

    Maine · 17004

    Office

    $151.63

    Facility

    $78.49

    $20.31 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Southern Maine

    Maine · 17004

    Office

    $159.71

    Facility

    $80.93

    $12.23 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Detroit

    Michigan · 17004

    Office

    $161.34

    Facility

    $84.63

    $10.60 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Michigan

    Michigan · 17004

    Office

    $153.04

    Facility

    $80.46

    $18.90 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Minnesota

    Minnesota · 17004

    Office

    $162.56

    Facility

    $80.76

    $9.38 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Kansas City

    Missouri · 17004

    Office

    $155.32

    Facility

    $80.68

    $16.62 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan St. Louis

    Missouri · 17004

    Office

    $156.90

    Facility

    $81.22

    $15.04 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Missouri

    Missouri · 17004

    Office

    $146.59

    Facility

    $78.07

    $25.35 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi · 17004

    Office

    $145.46

    Facility

    $77.01

    $26.48 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Montana**

    Montana · 17004

    Office

    $162.32

    Facility

    $82.83

    $9.62 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • North Carolina

    North Carolina · 17004

    Office

    $153.17

    Facility

    $79.01

    $18.77 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • North Dakota**

    North Dakota · 17004

    Office

    $159.75

    Facility

    $80.26

    $12.19 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Nebraska

    Nebraska · 17004

    Office

    $150.91

    Facility

    $77.54

    $21.03 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • New Hampshire

    New Hampshire · 17004

    Office

    $166.43

    Facility

    $83.67

    $5.51 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Northern Nj

    New Jersey · 17004

    Office

    $183.56

    Facility

    $91.35

    $11.62 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New Jersey

    New Jersey · 17004

    Office

    $174.96

    Facility

    $88.15

    $3.02 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • New Mexico

    New Mexico · 17004

    Office

    $153.80

    Facility

    $80.91

    $18.14 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Nevada**

    Nevada · 17004

    Office

    $161.72

    Facility

    $82.14

    $10.22 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Nyc Suburbs/Long Island

    New York · 17004

    Office

    $190.31

    Facility

    $95.80

    $18.37 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs

    New York · 17004

    Office

    $176.01

    Facility

    $88.96

    $4.07 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Queens

    New York · 17004

    Office

    $187.72

    Facility

    $93.76

    $15.78 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of New York

    New York · 17004

    Office

    $155.38

    Facility

    $79.86

    $16.56 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Ohio

    Ohio · 17004

    Office

    $152.51

    Facility

    $79.93

    $19.43 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Oklahoma

    Oklahoma · 17004

    Office

    $149.24

    Facility

    $78.26

    $22.70 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Portland

    Oregon · 17004

    Office

    $174.50

    Facility

    $86.18

    $2.56 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Oregon

    Oregon · 17004

    Office

    $160.59

    Facility

    $81.41

    $11.35 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Metropolitan Philadelphia

    Pennsylvania · 17004

    Office

    $168.61

    Facility

    $85.86

    $3.33 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania · 17004

    Office

    $152.80

    Facility

    $79.83

    $19.14 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rico · 17004

    Office

    $163.51

    Facility

    $83.14

    $8.43 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rhode Island

    Rhode Island · 17004

    Office

    $166.45

    Facility

    $84.33

    $5.49 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • South Carolina

    South Carolina · 17004

    Office

    $153.07

    Facility

    $79.62

    $18.87 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • South Dakota**

    South Dakota · 17004

    Office

    $159.45

    Facility

    $79.95

    $12.49 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Tennessee

    Tennessee · 17004

    Office

    $150.01

    Facility

    $77.75

    $21.93 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Austin

    Texas · 17004

    Office

    $168.49

    Facility

    $84.39

    $3.45 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Beaumont

    Texas · 17004

    Office

    $151.83

    Facility

    $79.49

    $20.11 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Brazoria

    Texas · 17004

    Office

    $160.71

    Facility

    $81.93

    $11.23 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Dallas

    Texas · 17004

    Office

    $161.66

    Facility

    $82.49

    $10.28 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Fort Worth

    Texas · 17004

    Office

    $160.59

    Facility

    $82.20

    $11.35 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Galveston

    Texas · 17004

    Office

    $161.15

    Facility

    $82.21

    $10.79 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Houston

    Texas · 17004

    Office

    $163.53

    Facility

    $84.59

    $8.41 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Texas

    Texas · 17004

    Office

    $156.13

    Facility

    $80.69

    $15.81 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Utah

    Utah · 17004

    Office

    $155.09

    Facility

    $80.37

    $16.85 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Virginia

    Virginia · 17004

    Office

    $159.13

    Facility

    $80.98

    $12.81 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Virgin Islands

    United States Virgin Islands · 17004

    Office

    $163.51

    Facility

    $83.14

    $8.43 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Vermont

    Vermont · 17004

    Office

    $159.05

    Facility

    $80.35

    $12.89 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Rest Of Washington

    Washington · 17004

    Office

    $167.87

    Facility

    $84.17

    $4.07 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Seattle (King Cnty)

    Washington · 17004

    Office

    $189.47

    Facility

    $91.94

    $17.53 higher than Merced for the office setting.

  • Wisconsin

    Wisconsin · 17004

    Office

    $154.57

    Facility

    $78.41

    $17.37 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • West Virginia

    West Virginia · 17004

    Office

    $149.37

    Facility

    $80.29

    $22.57 lower than Merced for the office setting.

  • Wyoming**

    Wyoming · 17004

    Office

    $161.20

    Facility

    $81.71

    $10.74 lower than Merced for the office setting.

See how rates vary across the country

17004 · 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.

$144.26

$193.61

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

View all state and territory rates as a table
State / territoryRate rangeLocalities
AK$190.121
AL$146.291
AR$144.261
AZ$158.191
CA$171.94–$215.2829
CO$169.161
CT$172.851
DC$185.391
DE$160.751
FL$159.53–$173.613
GA$150.93–$165.152
GU$176.011
HI$176.011
IA$150.091
ID$150.981
IL$154.92–$169.054
IN$151.831
KS$149.301
KY$149.391
LA$149.12–$156.242
MA$168.16–$185.652
MD$163.78–$185.393
ME$151.63–$159.712
MI$153.04–$161.342
MN$162.561
MO$146.59–$156.903
MS$145.461
MT$162.321
NC$153.171
ND$159.751
NE$150.911
NH$166.431
NJ$174.96–$183.562
NM$153.801
NV$161.721
NY$155.38–$190.315
OH$152.511
OK$149.241
OR$160.59–$174.502
PA$152.80–$168.612
PR$163.511
RI$166.451
SC$153.071
SD$159.451
TN$150.011
TX$151.83–$168.498
UT$155.091
VA$159.13–$185.392
VI$163.511
VT$159.051
WA$167.87–$189.472
WI$154.571
WV$149.371
WY$161.201

Explore 17004 on the national rate map →

Where does this rate apply?

Merced is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 24 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.

Browse all communities in California →

Why are the office and facility amounts different?

For 17004 in Merced, the physician’s office rate is $171.94 and the facility-setting rate is $84.82: a difference of $87.12.

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 17004 in Merced. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.

Reference amount per service

$189.13

$171.94 × 110% = $189.13

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

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

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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 17004 in Merced.

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

1,621

Code
17004
Physician work
1.34
Practice expense
3.39
Malpractice
0.13

GPCI2026.csv

15

Locality
Merced
Physician work
1.017
Practice expense
1.096
Malpractice
0.536
Office / nonfacility calculation for 17004 in Merced
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work1.34× 1.0171.3628
Practice expense3.39× 1.0963.7154
Malpractice0.13× 0.5360.0697
Total RVUs5.1479
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office / nonfacility rate, Merced$171.94

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

Open 17004 in the RVU calculator →

Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula

Office / nonfacility

Office / nonfacility calculation inputs
ComponentRVULocal GPCI
Work1.341.017
Practice expense3.391.096
Malpractice0.130.536

(1.34 × 1.017 + 3.39 × 1.096 + 0.13 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $171.94

Facility

Facility calculation inputs
ComponentRVULocal GPCI
Work1.341.017
Practice expense1.011.096
Malpractice0.130.536

(1.34 × 1.017 + 1.01 × 1.096 + 0.13 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $84.82

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

17004 · Office / nonfacility

$171.94

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $1.43 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $170.51 to $171.94 (0.8%).

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

    $170.51changed to$171.94

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 1.37 changed to 1.34
    • Practice expense RVU 3.47 changed to 3.39
    • Malpractice RVU 0.16 changed to 0.13
    • Work GPCI 1.014 changed to 1.017
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.093 changed to 1.096
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.560 changed to 0.536

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    Earliest loaded release: $170.51

    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$171.94$84.82RVU26D
2026-07-01$171.94$84.82RVU26C
2026-04-01$171.94$84.82RVU26B
2026-01-01$171.94$84.82RVU26A
2025-10-01$170.51$99.10RVU25D
2025-07-01$170.51$99.10RVU25C
2025-04-01$170.51$99.10RVU25B
2025-01-01$170.51$99.10RVU25A

17004 billing questions

How many units of 17004 are reported if 30 actinic keratoses are destroyed?

One unit. This code covers 15 or more lesions in a single session regardless of how many above that threshold are treated.

Can 17000 and 17003 be reported along with 17004?

No. At 15 or more premalignant lesions in a session, 17004 replaces the 17000 and 17003 combination. Reporting them together would duplicate the lesion destruction.

Can an E/M visit be billed on the same day?

Yes, if the E/M service is significant and separately identifiable from the usual assessment for this minor procedure, such as evaluation of an unrelated problem. Append modifier 25 to the E/M code; the routine decision to destroy the lesions is included in the procedure.

Is a biopsy of a different lesion separately reportable?

Yes, when a separate suspicious lesion is biopsied rather than destroyed. Report the appropriate biopsy code, such as 11102 for a tangential biopsy; use modifier 59 or XS when an edit requires a distinct-service modifier, and document both lesions.

Should the treated lesions be listed by location?

Yes. Record the total count and anatomic sites, such as the face, scalp, and dorsal hands, so the 15-lesion threshold can be verified.

What if photodynamic therapy is used instead of conventional destruction?

For physician- or qualified-health-care-professional-performed photodynamic therapy with application and activation of a photosensitizing drug, report 96573 instead. Report 96574 when that service also includes debridement of hyperkeratotic premalignant lesions.

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 17004PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,621 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for MercedGPCI2026.csv, line 15 (RVU26D)
Open CMS sourceHow this rate is calculatedBuild a fee sheet