Billing code 26010: Abscess drainageMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Reports simple incision and drainage of a localized finger abscess, rather than complicated drainage or a procedure involving a tendon sheath or palm bursa.
Medicare pays $370.64 for 26010 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 26010 covers
This service opens and drains a localized abscess in a finger. It is commonly performed by a hand surgeon, emergency physician, or other clinician treating an acute finger infection in an office, emergency department, or operating setting. The work is directed at the abscess itself, not drainage of an infected tendon sheath or palm bursa.
Report 26010 when the documented procedure is simple finger abscess drainage. Identify the finger and abscess site, and document the drainage performed; a felon or another complicated finger abscess may support 26011 instead. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included. 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and 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.
26010 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $370.64 | $143.27 |
How the 26010 rate is calculated
Each of 26010’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 · 26010
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.55Practice expense 9.40Malpractice 0.28
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26010
26010 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26010
Abscess drainage
| 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 · 26010
Abscess drainage
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
26010 without 51 · national office
$375.09
Abscess drainage
26010-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$187.55
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%).
26010 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
26010 vs 26011 vs 26020 vs 10060: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 26011Finger abscess drainage
- 26010 is for simple finger abscess drainage; 26011 is for complicated drainage, with a felon as an example.
- 26020Tendon sheath drainage
- Choose 26020 when the procedure drains a hand tendon sheath. 26010 addresses an abscess in the finger itself.
- 10060Abscess drainage
- 10060 describes general simple abscess drainage. 26010 is the finger-specific choice when the procedure is simple drainage of a finger abscess.
26010 billing questions
When should 26011 be reported instead?
Use 26011 for complicated finger abscess drainage, including a felon. Use 26010 for simple drainage when the documented work supports that level.
How does 26010 differ from 26020?
26010 treats an abscess in the finger. 26020 is for drainage involving a hand tendon sheath, a distinct anatomic structure and service.
Are related postoperative visits separately reported?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in 26010.
Can modifier 50 be used for abscesses on two fingers?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Document the work and sites treated; do not use modifier 50.
What happens if another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code.
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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