CPT code 21555: Mass excision2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Report this code for surgical removal of a subcutaneous soft-tissue mass in the neck or anterior thorax measuring under 3 cm.
Medicare pays $534.68 for 21555 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 21555 covers
This service covers surgical excision of a soft-tissue tumor beneath the skin in the neck or anterior thorax when the lesion is smaller than 3 cm. A common example is removal of a palpable superficial mass, such as a suspected lipoma, by a surgeon or other qualified physician in an office procedure room or operating room. Code selection depends on both the lesion’s depth and size; a deeper mass or one measuring 3 cm or more falls into a different code path.
The operative note should identify the site, show that the mass was subcutaneous rather than deep, support the size category, and describe the excision. A diagnostic sample alone is reported as a biopsy service. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; co-surgery 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.
21555 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | $534.68 | $358.95 |
How the 21555 rate is calculated
Each of 21555’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 · 21555
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work3.86
3.86 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.17
9.17 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.82
0.82 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
13.8500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$462.60
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 21555
21555 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 21555
Mass excision
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 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) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 21555
Mass excision
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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
21555 without 51 · national office
$462.60
Mass excision
21555-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$231.30
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%).
21555 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 21552Soft-tissue excision
- Both codes describe subcutaneous soft-tissue mass excision in the neck or anterior thorax. Select 21555 for a mass under 3 cm and 21552 for one measuring 3 cm or more.
- 21550Soft-tissue biopsy
- 21550 is the biopsy pathway for a neck or chest lesion. Use 21555 when the service is excision of a subcutaneous mass under 3 cm.
- 21556Tumor excision
- 21556 applies to a deep soft-tissue tumor under 5 cm. This code is for a subcutaneous mass under 3 cm.
21555 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from the 3 cm-or-larger subcutaneous excision code?
Use this code for a subcutaneous neck or anterior thorax mass under 3 cm. A subcutaneous mass measuring 3 cm or more is reported with 21552.
Can this code be used when the surgeon takes only a biopsy?
No. This code describes excision of the mass; a procedure limited to obtaining a diagnostic sample follows the biopsy code pathway, such as 21550.
Does this code include related postoperative visits?
Medicare’s 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Should modifier 50 be used for masses on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
How does Medicare handle multiple procedures performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be billed for this procedure?
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
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