Billing code 97597: Selective wound debridementMedicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Selective removal of devitalized tissue, fibrin, slough, or biofilm from an open wound, reported once per session for the first 20 square centimeters of total treated surface.
Medicare pays $118.18 for 97597 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 97597 covers
This service removes nonviable material from an open wound surface without removing subcutaneous tissue. Targets include fibrin, slough, exudate, debris, biofilm, and devitalized epidermis or dermis. Common methods are sharp selective debridement with forceps, scissors, scalpel, or curette, and high-pressure waterjet. The service includes wound assessment, topical applications, and instructions for ongoing care. Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, podiatrists, and physical therapists perform it in wound care clinics, offices, outpatient therapy departments, and nursing facilities. Typical wounds are diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, pressure injuries, and slow-healing surgical wounds.
Report one unit per session for the first 20 sq cm or less of combined surface area across all wounds selectively debrided. Use 97598 for each additional 20 sq cm or part of it. Documentation should give each wound's location and length times width, the tissue removed, the instrument or method, and the depth reached. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day pre- and post-procedure care is included. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; no bilateral adjustment is available. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted. An assistant is paid only when medical necessity is documented.
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.
97597 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | $118.18 | $43.12 |
How the 97597 rate is calculated
Each of 97597’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 · 97597
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.75Practice expense 2.24Malpractice 0.05
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 97597
The CMS indicators that decide how 97597 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 97597
Selective wound debridement
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
97597 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
97597 vs 11042 vs 97602 vs 97598: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 11042Wound debridement
- 11042 applies when subcutaneous tissue is removed and is sized by the area debrided at that depth. 97597 covers selective removal from the wound surface, epidermis, or dermis without removal of subcutaneous tissue.
- 97602Wound(s) care non-selective
- 97602 is nonselective, for example enzymatic, wet-to-moist, or abrasion, and removes tissue without precise targeting. 97597 uses sharp instruments or waterjet to selectively remove material from the wound surface.
- 97598Wound debridement
- 97598 is the add-on for each additional 20 sq cm beyond the first and is never reported alone. 97597 is reported once per session for the first 20 sq cm.
97597 billing questions
How is wound size calculated when several wounds are debrided?
Add together the surface areas of all wounds that receive selective debridement in the session. Report 97597 once for the first 20 sq cm. Report 97598 for each additional 20 sq cm or part of it.
When should 11042 be reported instead of 97597?
Use 11042 when debridement removes subcutaneous tissue. Use 97597 when selective debridement removes material from the wound surface, epidermis, or dermis without removing subcutaneous tissue. Do not report both for the same wound.
Can 97602 be billed with 97597 for the same wound?
Do not report nonselective debridement under 97602 in addition to selective debridement under 97597 for the same wound in the same session.
Is a same-day E/M visit separately billable?
Assessment of the wound being debrided is included in the service. A significant, separately identifiable E/M service may be reported with modifier 25, but the note must support work beyond the debridement.
What modifier applies when a physical therapist performs the debridement?
When a physical therapist provides it under a therapy plan of care, Medicare expects the GP therapy modifier on the claim line.
What documentation supports the service?
Record each wound's location, length and width measurements, the tissue type removed, the instrument or method, and the depth reached. Also document the patient's tolerance and the ongoing care instructions given.
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
Fee sheets
Put 97597 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →