Billing code 60502: Parathyroid explorationMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Reports a return operation to explore previously operated parathyroid anatomy, typically for persistent or recurrent hyperparathyroidism after earlier neck surgery.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 60502 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 60502 covers
An endocrine or head-and-neck surgeon re-enters a previously operated neck to locate and assess parathyroid tissue in a scarred operative field. The service is generally performed in a hospital operating room when hyperparathyroidism persists or returns after prior parathyroid surgery. The operative work may involve identifying residual or ectopic parathyroid tissue and treating the source found during the re-exploration.
Choose this code when the current operation is a re-exploration, rather than an initial exploration of the parathyroid glands. The operative report should establish the prior parathyroid operation, the reason for returning to the neck, the exploration performed, and the findings and treatment. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including 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 the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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.
60502 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Unavailable | $1,185.56 |
How the 60502 rate is calculated
Each of 60502’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 · 60502
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 20.62Practice expense 10.52Malpractice 4.87
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 60502
60502 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 60502
Parathyroid exploration
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.09/0.82/0.09 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 60502
Parathyroid exploration
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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
60502 without 51 · national facility
$1,202.77
Parathyroid exploration
60502-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$601.39
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%).
60502 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
60502 vs 60500 vs 60505 vs 60512: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 60500Parathyroid surgery
- 60500 is for initial parathyroid exploration. Choose 60502 when the operation re-enters previously operated parathyroid anatomy.
- 60505Parathyroid exploration
- 60505 describes parathyroid exploration that includes mediastinal exploration by a specified approach; 60502 identifies re-exploration.
- 60512Parathyroid transplant
- 60512 reports parathyroid autotransplantation, which may accompany exploration; it does not replace the re-exploration code.
60502 billing questions
When should 60502 be chosen instead of 60500?
Use 60502 for a return exploration after prior parathyroid surgery. Code 60500 describes an initial exploration, not a re-exploration.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code because of its descriptor or anatomy.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative visits?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures subject to the multiple procedure reduction are paid at 50%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
What documentation supports reporting a re-exploration?
Document the earlier parathyroid operation, the clinical reason for returning to the neck, and the re-exploration and treatment performed.
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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