Billing code 23333: Foreign body removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Reports surgical removal of a retained foreign body embedded in deep shoulder tissue, such as beneath fascia or within muscle.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 23333 in Delaware.
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 23333 covers
This service covers surgical removal of a retained object from deep shoulder tissues, including a location beneath fascia or within muscle. An orthopedic surgeon typically performs the procedure when the object cannot be retrieved from a superficial position and requires surgical exposure and dissection. The code distinguishes deep tissue removal from removal of a foreign body limited to the subcutaneous layer.
Select the code based on the documented depth and location of the object, and describe the tissue involved and the work required to retrieve it. The service has 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 applies to bilateral procedures, paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; co-surgeons 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.
23333 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Unavailable | $453.69 |
How the 23333 rate is calculated
Each of 23333’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 · 23333
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.85
5.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.66
6.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.25
1.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
13.7600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$459.60
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 23333
23333 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 23333
Foreign body removal
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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. |
| 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 · 23333
Foreign body removal
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
23333 without 50 · national facility
$459.60
Foreign body removal
23333-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$689.40
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
23333 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 23330Foreign-body removal
- 23330 applies to a foreign body in the subcutaneous layer. Choose 23333 when the object is beneath fascia or within muscle.
- 23334Prosthesis removal
- 23334 is for removal of a shoulder prosthesis. Choose 23333 when the removed object is a retained foreign body in deep shoulder tissue.
- 23335Prosthesis removal
- 23335 concerns shoulder prosthesis removal rather than removal of a nonprosthetic foreign body embedded in deep shoulder tissue.
23333 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from 23330?
Use 23333 when the foreign body is in deep shoulder tissue, such as beneath fascia or within muscle. Code 23330 describes removal from the subcutaneous layer.
Does this code describe removal of a shoulder prosthesis?
No. It describes removal of a retained foreign body from deep shoulder tissue. Shoulder prosthesis removal is represented by the applicable prosthesis-removal code.
What documentation supports reporting 23333?
Document the shoulder location, the object removed, its depth or involved tissue, and the surgical work performed to retrieve it.
How does the 90-day global period affect related care?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral removal?
Yes. CMS treats this as a bilateral procedure when reported with modifier 50, with payment at 150%.
When is assistant-at-surgery payment allowed?
CMS payment for an assistant at surgery is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. 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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