Billing code 11620: Skin excisionMedicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Reports excision of a malignant skin lesion measuring no more than 0.5 cm with margins on the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia.
Medicare pays $231.29 for 11620 in the office in Alaska (Alaska*). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 9 sections
What 11620 covers
This code covers surgical removal of a malignant skin lesion, including the surrounding margins, on the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia. Dermatologists, surgeons, and other qualified clinicians may perform the procedure in an office or facility. The code is selected by the excised diameter, which includes the lesion and the margins; it is not based on the lesion alone. For example, a small malignant lesion on the hand may qualify if the combined measurement is no more than 0.5 cm.
Document the site, malignant diagnosis, lesion and margin measurements, and resulting excised diameter. Simple closure is included; a separately performed intermediate or complex repair may be reported when supported. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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.
11620 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | $231.29 | $135.96 |
How the 11620 rate is calculated
Each of 11620’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 · 11620
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.60Practice expense 4.14Malpractice 0.21
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 11620
11620 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 11620
Skin excision
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 11620
Skin excision
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
11620 without 51 · national office
$198.74
Skin excision
11620-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$99.37
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
11620 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
11620 vs 11600 vs 11621 vs 11640: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 11600Malignant lesion excision
- Use 11600 for an excised diameter of 0.5 cm or less on the trunk or extremities. This code is for the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia.
- 11621Skin lesion excision
- Use 11621 for the same anatomic group when the excised diameter is 0.6 to 1.0 cm; this code is limited to 0.5 cm or less.
- 11640Lesion excision
- Use 11640 for an excised diameter of 0.5 cm or less on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, or lips, rather than the sites covered here.
11620 billing questions
How is the size for this code determined?
Use the greatest diameter of the lesion plus the margins removed, measured before excision. The combined excised diameter must be 0.5 cm or less.
When should 11621 be used instead?
Use 11621 for the same anatomic group when the excised diameter is 0.6 to 1.0 cm. The site and combined lesion-plus-margin measurement distinguish the codes.
Can the closure be billed separately?
Simple closure is included in the excision. A separately performed intermediate or complex repair may be reported when its documentation and code requirements are met.
Can modifier 50 be used for lesions on both hands?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
Are postoperative visits included?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure.
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
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