$405.90
Choose 38300 when the operation drains a lymph node lesion. Choose 38308 when the surgeon incises lymphatic channels themselves.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
38308 Lymphatic surgery Medicare reimbursement rates in Connecticut
Reports an operative incision into lymphatic channels when the surgeon directly treats the channels rather than draining a lymph node lesion. Compare 38308 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Connecticut.
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.
What does Medicare pay for 38308 in Connecticut?
Connecticut has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$476.10
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Connecticut
One mapped payment locality.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Lymphatic surgery
About 38308: Incision of lymphatic channels
Reports an operative incision into lymphatic channels when the surgeon directly treats the channels rather than draining a lymph node lesion.
A surgeon reports 38308 for an operation in which the lymphatic channels themselves are incised. The operative target is the lymphatic pathway, not a lymph node or a lesion within a lymph node. This is a facility-based surgical service; Medicare recorded facility services for the code in 2024 and no office services. The code is distinct from procedures directed at the thoracic duct, which have separate codes.
The operative report should identify the lymphatic channels treated and describe the incision performed, so the record distinguishes this work from lymph node drainage. This major procedure has a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period are included. For multiple procedures in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and other procedures at half their value. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation. Team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 38308
- 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 RVU6.64 · 50%
- Practice expense (office) RVU5.25 · 39%
- Malpractice RVU1.51 · 11%
160
Medicare services in 2024 · #4511 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.
38308 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Connecticut, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
38305 is for drainage directed at a lymph node lesion; 38308 describes an incision directed at lymphatic channels.
No office rate
38380 is a thoracic duct procedure. Use 38308 when the operation is directed at lymphatic channels rather than specifically at the thoracic duct.
Compare 38308 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
1 of 1 payment localities
Connecticut →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$476.10
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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 38308 in Connecticut.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
4,737
- Code
- 38308
- Physician work
- 6.64
- Practice expense
- 5.25
- Malpractice
- 1.51
GPCI2026.csv
38
- Locality
- Connecticut
- Physician work
- 1.020
- Practice expense
- 1.077
- Malpractice
- 1.210
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 6.64 | × 1.020 | 6.7728 |
| Practice expense | 5.25 | × 1.077 | 5.6542 |
| Malpractice | 1.51 | × 1.210 | 1.8271 |
| Total RVUs | 14.2541 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Connecticut$476.10
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 6.64 | 1.02 |
| Practice expense | 5.25 | 1.077 |
| Malpractice | 1.51 | 1.21 |
(6.64 × 1.02 + 5.25 × 1.077 + 1.51 × 1.21) × $33.4009 = $476.10
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.
38308 billing questions
How is 38308 different from lymph node drainage?
38308 is for an incision directed at lymphatic channels. Use a lymph node drainage code when the operative target is a lesion in a lymph node.
What documentation supports 38308?
The operative report should identify the lymphatic channels treated and describe the incision. This helps distinguish the service from drainage of a lymph node lesion or a thoracic duct procedure.
Are the preoperative visit and postoperative visits separately included?
The day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90-day global period are included in the surgical payment.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
How does Medicare handle other procedures performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the same session are paid at half their value under the standard multiple procedure reduction.
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.
4,73438243,,Transplj hematopoietic boost,A,,2.08,0.82,NA,0.82,,0.14,3.04,3.04,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73538300,,Drainage lymph node lesion,A,,2.30,8.42,,3.56,,0.61,11.33,6.47,0,010,0.10,0.80,0.10,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73638305,,Drainage lymph node lesion,A,,6.51,6.46,NA,6.46,,1.74,14.71,14.71,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73738308,,Incision of lymph channels,A,,6.64,5.25,NA,5.25,,1.51,13.40,13.40,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73838380,,Thoracic duct procedure,A,,8.25,5.94,NA,5.94,,1.33,15.52,15.52,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73938381,,Thoracic duct procedure,A,,13.05,6.84,NA,6.84,,3.21,23.10,23.10,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,74038382,,Thoracic duct procedure,A,,10.38,7.16,NA,7.16,,2.61,20.15,20.15,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3501112,CA,70,YUBA CITY,1.017,1.096,0.536
3601112,CA,75,REST OF CALIFORNIA,1.017,1.096,0.536
3704112,CO,01,COLORADO,1.012,1.064,0.781
3813102,CT,00,CONNECTICUT,1.020,1.077,1.210
3912202,DC,01,DC + MD/VA SUBURBS,1.054,1.178,1.113
4012102,DE,01,DELAWARE,1.005,0.988,0.899
4109102,FL,03,FORT LAUDERDALE,1.000,1.013,1.808