Billing code 17312: Mohs surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Reports an additional Mohs surgery stage for a lesion on the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia when microscopic examination shows tumor remains.
Medicare pays $398.83 for 17312 in the office in Delaware (Delaware). 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 17312 covers
A Mohs surgeon, commonly a dermatologist, removes and maps another thin layer of tissue after the initial stage. The tissue is processed and examined microscopically so the surgeon can identify whether tumor remains at the margins and whether another stage is needed. Code 17312 is for an additional stage at the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia; the first stage is reported separately with the appropriate primary Mohs code. Mohs is commonly performed in an office surgical setting.
Report 17312 for each additional stage after the first, rather than for each tissue block within a stage. The operative record should identify the lesion and site, the stage sequence, tissue mapping and microscopic findings, and the reason another layer was taken. A stage may include up to five tissue blocks; additional blocks are addressed with 17315. As an add-on code, 17312 is billed only with a primary procedure and is paid within that procedure's global period.
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.
17312 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $398.83 | $151.99 |
How the 17312 rate is calculated
Each of 17312’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 · 17312
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 3.22Practice expense 8.51Malpractice 0.33
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 17312
The CMS indicators that decide how 17312 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 17312
Mohs surgery
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| 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) | 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. |
17312 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
17312 vs 17311 vs 17314 vs 17315: national Medicare rates
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How to choose
- 17311Mohs surgery
- 17311 reports the first Mohs stage for the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia; 17312 reports each subsequent stage at those sites.
- 17314Mohs stage
- Both report an additional Mohs stage, but 17314 is for the trunk, arms, or legs; 17312 is for the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia.
- 17315Mohs block
- 17312 counts an additional stage. Code 17315 counts additional tissue blocks beyond five within a stage.
17312 billing questions
When should 17312 be used instead of 17311?
Use 17311 for the first Mohs stage on the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia. Report 17312 for each additional stage at one of those sites.
Is 17312 billed per tissue block?
No. It represents an additional stage, which can include up to five tissue blocks. Code 17315 addresses additional blocks beyond that amount.
Can 17312 be reported by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be billed with the primary Mohs procedure for the lesion.
Which additional-stage code applies to a lesion on the trunk or an extremity?
Use 17314 for an additional stage on the trunk, arms, or legs. Code 17312 is for additional stages on the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia.
What documentation supports an additional-stage unit?
The operative record should show the lesion site, the additional stage performed, the tissue map and microscopic findings, and the reason the surgeon continued.
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
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