CPT 20102: Wound explorationMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Operative exploration of a penetrating wound in the abdomen, flank, or back to assess the wound tract and underlying injury during acute trauma care.
Medicare pays $653.32 for 20102 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 20102 covers
A surgeon, often a trauma or general surgeon, explores a penetrating wound in the abdomen, flank, or back to assess the tract and identify injury to underlying structures. This is an operative service, typically performed in a facility during acute trauma care; it is distinct from simply examining or cleaning a wound at the bedside.
Select this code by the wound’s anatomic region, not by the severity of the injury or the structures ultimately found. The operative report should identify the penetrating wound site, describe the exploration performed, and distinguish it from any definitive repair or larger operation. Related postoperative visits are included in the 10-day global period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid, and co-surgeon and team-surgery reporting 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.
20102 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $653.32 | $241.48 |
How the 20102 rate is calculated
Each of 20102’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 · 20102
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 3.88Practice expense 14.95Malpractice 0.99
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 20102
20102 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 20102
Wound exploration
| 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 · 20102
Wound exploration
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
20102 without 51 · national office
$662.01
Wound exploration
20102-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$331.01
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%).
20102 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
20102 vs 20101 vs 20103 vs 49000: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 20101Wound exploration
- 20101 applies to a penetrating wound in the chest. Use 20102 when the wound is in the abdomen, flank, or back.
- 20103Wound exploration
- 20103 is for penetrating wound exploration of an extremity; 20102 is selected for the specified trunk regions.
- 49000Abdominal exploration
- 20102 describes exploration focused on a penetrating wound tract. 49000 describes exploratory laparotomy for a broader intra-abdominal survey.
20102 billing questions
How do I distinguish this code from 20101?
Choose by the wound location: 20102 is for the abdomen, flank, or back, while 20101 is for the chest.
When is a formal exploratory laparotomy a better fit?
Use 20102 for operative exploration of the penetrating wound tract in its specified region. A broad intra-abdominal exploration through a laparotomy is described by 49000.
Can wound exploration be reported separately from definitive repair?
Do not separately report exploration when it is integral to a more extensive procedure at the same site. The operative documentation should establish a distinct exploration service.
Can modifier 50 be used for wounds on both sides?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor and anatomy.
Are assistant, co-surgeon, or team-surgery claims payable?
Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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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